Birth of a Ninja
by Captain Enigma
Summary: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream… [AU beginning at the bell test, where differences in Team 7's choices lead Kakashi to take their training more seriously.]
1. Chapter 1: Strength in Unity

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 8, 2014 (Updated September 8)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 1: Strength in Unity**

_Wherein a teacher learns a lesson_

* * *

Those who make history are blind to its passage. Its course is too quick for even a great man to take notice of the great moments that will guide everything to follow.

At Konoha's Training Ground 21 on the morning of Hatake Kakashi's bell test, one such moment was in its incipiency. On a tree stump sat a simple white egg timer, bought that morning for this very test; and a pair of brightly colored bento boxes.

Next to the stump stood a lackadaisical man, grey haired, tall, and thin with a facemask over his nose and mouth and his forehead protector slanted over one eye. On his hip rode a pair of tiny silvery bells that tinkled in the wind. Hatake Kakashi, sensei-to-be of Team 7 stood across from his three tense prospects – two boys and a girl. One boy was bright and full of fire, golden hair aglow and cerulean eyes bursting with challenge. The other was pale and cold, with inky-black hair and dark eyes with a glint of purpose. Between them was a rose-haired girl trembling, whether with fear or anticipation was unclear, her emerald eyes full of a nervous energy.

"Begin!" Kakashi's voice began their test like a thunderclap. The elite jounin's voice wasn't particularly loud, but the three genin reacted like he'd shouted, hurling themselves away, into the thick copse of trees that covered most of Training Ground 21. Within moments, the three were invisible to the average observer – but Kakashi was no average man. He could sense Naruto in a nearby bush, brimming with determination. Sasuke was further off, kneeling and running through plans. Finally, Sakura had made her post behind a tree, still shivering, but with adrenaline coursing through her veins, watching Kakashi's every move.

And move Kakashi did – to pull an orange-covered book from his pouch. He could practically hear his students' groans as he did so, and grinned under his mask.

'_Let the games begin…_'

* * *

Naruto, having overcome his first impulse to remain in the open and fight, was caught in a dilemma.

'_That asshole! He's just reading! He doesn't take us seriously at all! After he told us to try and KILL him! But he's a jounin… Maybe he's just that good?_'

Though planning had never been Naruto's strong suite, he was an excellent improviser – yet how to begin? Kakashi was in the middle of the field, and though there was any number of ways to ambush him, all would take Naruto over the width of the open ground, where Kakashi could use any number of means to stop him.

'_I need a distraction_.' Naruto flashed through a familiar set of seals and incanted, "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**." In a puff of smoke, a pair of clones of Naruto, identical to the last grass stain and patch on their eye-searing orange pants, appeared. Naruto grit his teeth, having been trying to create only one clone – but it was irrelevant, he supposed. One clone immediately slipped through the brush towards the other side of the clearing, while the other remained patiently with Naruto.

A minute later, a slight rustling on the other side of the clearing seemed to pique Kakashi's interest as he looked up from his book for a half-moment – and Naruto struck. Leaping out across the open ground, he roared a challenge. "Time to take this seriously, you one-eyed bastard!"

Kakashi chuckled quietly, still reading. "You're a little strange. Didn't the Academy teach you not to just charge a superior foe without back-up?" Kakashi dipped his head, allowing Naruto's devastating flying kick to go straight over him. Naruto landed and spun with a vicious hammer fist which Kakashi merely leaned away from, then followed with a sweep – which Kakashi hopped over.

"Stop hopping around and fight back, damn it!" Naruto grit his teeth, knowing how stupid he sounded even as he spoke – why should Kakashi stand around and be hit, after all, if he could just dodge? Naruto drew back and moved in with a flurry of light blows aimed to at least force Kakashi to take his attention away from the book – but Kakashi moved out of the way of every one with hardly a hair out of place.

Naruto roared and drew a fist back to try once more to land a heavy blow to Kakashi's face, but the cyclopean jounin seemed to flicker for a moment before vanishing just as Naruto's punch would have struck. Naruto froze for a moment.

'_Where'd he go?_' But Sakura's scream from the brush nearby interrupted his thoughts.

"Naruto! Behind you – tiger seal!" Naruto's mind burst into action – Iruka had gone over the meaning of seals with him many times.

'_Tiger, tiger, burning bright – fire!_' Naruto leapt forward, away from the potential attack, while at the same time, his two clones burst from the bushes towards Kakashi, who was kneeling behind him. Kakashi was forced to abort whatever technique he'd been about to attack with, instead hopping away from Naruto's two clones – one of whom landed his kick straight into the other's face. The struck clone vanished in a burst, and Naruto felt the clone's shock and pain for a half-moment before he leapt towards Kakashi again – he had to take the jounin seriously now. No matter how foolishly he behaved, it was clear the elite ninja barely needed his notice to take Naruto on.

In midair, Naruto again flashed through the seals to his only real combat technique. "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!" This time, he allowed more chakra to flow into the technique, trying to stop the flow before it became too much – and nearly a dozen clones of himself burst into view, smoke flaring around them. Kakashi froze for a moment, and Naruto grinned at the jounin's shock – Iruka-sensei had informed him that the technique he used ate up an absurd amount of energy, and that Naruto could use it as liberally as he did was incomprehensible to most ninja.

Even as Naruto's clones landed on Kakashi, Naruto heard the whisper and pop of smoke that signaled that he'd lost the jounin again and he tried to control his temper as he pushed out of the pile of clones, shouting, "Dispel yourselves! He's either flickered away or turned into one of us!"

As the clones all vanished, Naruto was left alone with only his dread. He was in way over his head. The jounin was too much for him, even with his new technique, and he had to admit something he had never had to before.

He needed help.

* * *

After warning Naruto, Sakura had dashed away from her position, knowing that once Kakashi found some way to deal with Naruto and his bizarre solid-clone technique, he'd be after her. And Kakashi WOULD deal with Naruto, she knew, because he was a JOUNIN, and no matter what Naruto could do now, he was still just a genin.

'_I need to find Sasuke-kun_. _Maybe I could team up with him and work together to get the bells – there're two bells, we might be able to -_" Sakura heard a rustling in the nearby bushes, and slid to a halt; a kunai raised and eyes narrowed. She hadn't noticed before how dark it was this deep into the trees. Around her was a peaceful silence.

'_Or the silence of the dead…_' her mind whispered maliciously. Sakura spoke warily, "Er… Sasuke-kun? Is that you? Are you all right? Or… Naruto?" She hoped dearly it was one of them and not Kakashi; the jounin had more than proven his ability to crush his prospective students, and had nearly used a fire technique on Naruto at point-blank range!

Instead, through the bushes tumbled Sasuke – but a beaten, battered Sasuke with several nicks and bruises. Worst was a kunai thrust deep into his chest, which Sakura could tell without a further glance was undoubtedly fatal.

"Sakura… help… please…" Sasuke collapsed, first to his knees then onto his face. Sakura began to step forward before freezing. Numbly, she raced through her first-aid training in her head, but knew there was nothing she could do. Her heart thumped and blood pounded in her ears.

"Sasuke-kun?" Her voice sounded shrill and reedy, and she felt faint. She felt screaming laughter about to bubble out of her chest, but her mind, always independent, snapped to attention.

'_Stop! Think! Teammate down, what do we do? Take cover!_' She heard her voice echoing Iruka-sensei's lesson and followed through, hurling herself into a nearby bush, even as she continued to wonder. '_Kakashi… killed one of us? One of his students? I mean… he was about to roast Naruto, but Sasuke-kun was the last Uchiha? How…_'

'_Look for the enemy_.' Sakura glanced around even as her breath grew shorter and her vision began to tunnel, but she didn't see the murderous jounin anywhere.

'_Don't let emotions affect your thinking; come up with a plan_.' Sakura began to think, but a thought flashed into her head – Sasuke couldn't have gone down so quickly – his body showed signs of a long battle, but Sakura had just seen Kakashi fighting Naruto! And she hadn't heard any fighting elsewhere – the woods had been quiet. So if what she'd seen wasn't possible…

"**Kai!**" Sakura drew her chakra together in a tight cluster within herself, and felt the warm energy pulse out once, then again, disrupting any hostile fields around her – and Sasuke's body flickered and disappeared, even as the darkness of the woods lightened, birds' annoyed twitters filling the air. Sakura's heart lightened for a moment before reality overtook her.

Kakashi had incapacitated her for over a minute with a single, apparently simple genjutsu. He might as well have been a god to her ant, for all that she could take him on.

She needed to get some help.

* * *

Sasuke had watched patiently as Kakashi toyed with Naruto, and had tried to track Kakashi as he'd vanished somewhere into the trees – probably to go after Sakura. It was only when Naruto vanished into the trees himself to search for their target that Kakashi reemerged, humming brightly as he continued reading. Though there was no distraction, Sasuke knew he had to act soon, or risk losing the best chance he'd seen so far.

'_Miss the chance, fail the test. Fail, and never become a ninja. And lose my shot to hunt HIM down._' Sasuke let his anxiety fade away, wrapping himself in a cold shroud of focus, and hurled a pair of kunai at Kakashi. The weapons slammed into the jounin and Sasuke felt his heart stop for a moment – had he killed his instructor?

But instead, a puff of smoke revealed that the kunai had only embedded themselves in a training log that Kakashi had swapped places with in the split second before they'd landed. Instead, the tall man stood at the other end of the pasture, looking directly at Sasuke's hiding place with a raised eyebrow. Sasuke growled, his cover blown, though he suspected the jounin had already known where he was. He leapt out.

"Put your book away. I'm not like the others." Kakashi grinned in reply.

"I suppose you're right. They didn't go right for the kill." Sasuke charged forward, leaning low as he moved. His mind raced through Naruto's previous attack – a daring move riddled with small errors. Sasuke could do the same and see if it would work – after all, if nothing else, Sasuke knew he was better, more skilled than Naruto was.

Not skilled enough, however, he realized immediately, as his powerful sliding kick was easily dodged. A swipe with his kunai was leaned away from, and his next kick didn't even come close. Scowling, Sasuke leapt up after the next kick and flashed through several seals to the last technique his father had taught him before…

Sasuke's eyes locked onto Kakashi as his hands ended in the tiger seal. Kakashi's visible eye stared back, sharpened into surprised focus as Sasuke raised a hand to his lips.

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!**" A thin jet of flames raced between his open fingers, striking where Kakashi had been and flaring into a dome of fire that Sasuke kept going for a moment – before realizing that there was no way the jounin would have been caught by the technique so utterly. Sasuke had hoped to at least singe Kakashi, but luck wasn't with him. As the fire died down, only the same training log – which Sasuke was beginning to hate – sat in the smoldering circle. Kakashi stood again, across the training field – with no book in sight. Sasuke smirked.

"I told you. I'm better than the others." Sasuke charged again, engaging Kakashi in a flurry of blows – but he immediately realized that he was well-out of his depth. Kakashi's blocks were bored at best, and his dodging often left nearly a meter of space between Sasuke's attacks and where Kakashi was.

"Hmm… maybe I should get my book out again?" Kakashi pondered out loud. Sasuke felt anger overtake him for a moment and he slammed a foot forward in fury, crying out.

"Don't underestimate me!" Sasuke immediately regretted his rashness, but followed through as Kakashi dodged to the side. He let his hand slide down and felt the metal of one of Kakashi's tiny silver bells, and the jounin's eye widened. Sasuke almost crowed in triumph – but a quick jerk of Kakashi's hips turned the victory to ashes in Sasuke's mouth as Kakashi wrapped an arm around Sasuke's leg and with a twist sent him flying over the jounin's back.

As Sasuke rose from the ground, the vertigo spinning his head, he looked towards where Kakashi had been – but he was already gone. Sasuke half-expected to see the damned log again, but instead, there was only emptiness. Sasuke frowned slightly.

'_So where'd he go? Left, right, behind… up?_'

"Down! **Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu**!" Hands erupted from the earth below Sasuke and grasped his ankles, beginning to drag him into the ground. Sasuke was knee-deep in the soft dirt and going deeper, but a kunai whizzed from the forest and almost struck Kakashi in the wrist. The Jounin's hands disappeared below the ground again and Sasuke toppled forward. Hardly able to catch himself, Sasuke instead landing in Sakura's arms as she emerged from the other side of the clearing.

'_But if she didn't throw the kunai…?_' Sasuke's unspoken question was answered as Naruto leapt from the bushes where the attack had originated, cursing quietly. Kakashi, in the meanwhile, was gone again.

* * *

The three genin had pulled away to another, smaller clearing in the woods, discouraged. Naruto gritted his teeth. He didn't like asking for help from anyone, even Iruka-sensei or Sakura-chan. Asking for help from Sasuke nearly made him want to quit being a ninja rather than setting aside his pride. Still…

"All right… all we've proven so far is that we can't do anything to him apart – Kakashi-sensei is a jounin. If we try to beat him alone, all we get is a lot of humiliation and some wasted time. Instead, we need to work together." Naruto finished his mini-speech. Sasuke frowned slightly, but Sakura nodded.

"… You're right, Naruto. Our time's running out – it's past eleven already and we only have until noon. Even Sasuke-kun couldn't… couldn't…" Sakura had a hard time spitting out the bitter truth, and Sasuke's annoyed look quelled her. An objection seemed to rise to his mouth as he opened it, but instead, a strange look took over his eyes.

"He is a jounin…" Naruto took Sasuke's reflection as a chance to continue.

"Yeah! He's really good – like, really, really good. If we just jump him like we have been, we're not going to get anywhere. But… If we work together, we could distract him enough to maybe get the bells!" Sakura seemed enthused as well.

"Right! A genin can't beat a jounin in a fight, but that's why the regulations always put people together as teams! As a team, a group of lower-ranking ninjas can take on a more skilled opponent!" Her voice almost took on a lecturing tone as she recited words Iruka-sensei had repeated to them often. While Naruto seemed thrilled to have his teammates' support, Sasuke wasn't as convinced. If he couldn't beat Kakashi, how was he supposed to…? That man was far more powerful than a mere lazy jounin – and even still…

"… There are only two bells."

"What was that, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura was the one to ask the question, but both of Sasuke's potential teammates looked at him. Sasuke frowned.

"Two bells. Meaning two of us will pass. One of us will have to go back to the Academy – or, for Naruto, the Fire Lord's army." Sakura looked ill. Sasuke was right, of course – and she couldn't hold either of them back – what should she do? Should she decline and allow the others to achieve their dreams? Perhaps she and Sasuke could continue – but no, that would consign Naruto to the rank-and file, a fate she would never press on the boy. However, Naruto seemed unimpressed.

"We can work that out AFTER we get those bells – didn't Iruka-sensei always say to cross bridges when you got to them? Maybe once we have the bells we can tell him to make us all pass because we worked together! Or we could tell Oji-san, and have him MAKE Kakashi-sensei pass us all! All I know is, what we can't do apart, we may be able to do if we work together!" Sakura seemed inspired and even Sasuke nodded slowly. A comfortable silence fell over the glade, until Sasuke nodded.

"Very well. What is the plan then?" Sakura looked surprised.

"Aren't you going to come up with something, Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke scowled. He would have liked to come up with the plan, but Kakashi was an experienced shinobi – anything Sasuke would think of, Kakashi would think of first. But perhaps something more unorthodox…

"No. Kakashi will expect anything I think of. That's why Naruto should plan our attack."

"Hell yes I… wait what?" Naruto froze as Sakura gave him a shocked look. Sasuke's expectant gaze fell on him as well, and he didn't know what to do – Sasuke, throughout the Academy, had never, ever admitted that someone else would be better at or for anything than Sasuke himself. He was the most arrogant, self-absorbed prick in Konoha! Wasn't he? Naruto bit his lip, and Sakura nodded decisively.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun and I are putting our trust in you! So come on and think of something – no matter how stupid it might be!"

Naruto stared back, his face serious, and Sakura felt the very slightest beginnings of hope.

"All right, guys. Let's DO this!"

* * *

Kakashi was beginning to get bored, standing in the middle of the clearing. Only Icha Icha provided him any stimulation as his prospective students, likely to go no further, continued to hide wherever they'd gotten to. He'd wondered upon reading the mission report affixed to Naruto's file whether there was something new about this team, but instead he'd just gotten more of the same – inexperienced arrogance, foolish selfishness. He'd be glad to send Sakura and Sasuke back to the academy where they could grow a little. They had the spark of something special, and maybe nurtured, they would grow.

Naruto, though… Perhaps his... special condition would keep him from being sent to the Fire Lord's army, to die a battered wreck; but there was no telling what his fate would be, even left in Konoha. Surely he wouldn't be able to remain an ordinary shinobi - and Kakashi's stomach twisted at the thought of his sensei's son, blank and full of hate, like some other demon vessels he'd heard of.

With just ten minutes left before his timer ran out, Kakashi spied movement in a tree at the edge of the clearing and swayed to the left to avoid a brace of shuriken that whizzed past his ear. Sasuke leapt from the tree, a kunai in either hand, already on the move. Kakashi decided to prod at the prideful boy.

"This again? I feel like I'm having déjà vu…" Sasuke didn't respond, instead launching an uncontrolled spinning kick through the air. Kakashi didn't even have to move to dodge it, and he shook his head.

"You're clumsy, Sasuke, reckless. Your anger isn't helping." Sasuke grit his teeth and moved in with another volley of swipes.

"Stop treating me like those other weaklings!" Kakashi dodged every blow, though again he had to put dear Icha Icha away – couldn't risk having a page perforated by Sasuke's wild swings, after all. Out of the bushes behind him leapt a figure, and Kakashi almost froze in confused amusement at Sasuke – again.

"Hey, sensei! I'm Sasuke and I'm here to… oh damn it, he's here already." Kakashi almost laughed out loud.

"Hello again, Naruto. I see that you're pretending to be Sasuke – but unfortunately, there's one too many of him already." The Sasuke Kakashi had been fighting had frozen to look at the newcomer, and now shouted in outrage.

"You buffoon, stop acting like me!" The other Sasuke, who Kakashi had pegged in his mind as Naruto, replied.

"Shut up and stop ruining my plan!" Kakashi stared at both in bewilderment.

"I think your plan is beginning to fall apart a bit." As if to punctuate Kakashi's statement, several Naruto clones appeared from behind the fake Sasuke and attacked. The two Sasukes attacked each other instead of Kakashi, and as the pair scuffled, Kakashi could only shake his head in amazement.

"Whatever's going on; both your plans have gone awry." The Naruto clones had reached Kakashi at this point and began leaping at him like a swarm of orange piranhas, trying to get at his arms or legs. Kakashi decided to fight back, lashing out to pop one clone, then deflecting a shuriken from the Sasuke-vs.-Sasuke fight to the ground. Two more clones were on him in that very instant, and he was force to step back. At the same time, both Sasukes came to a sudden rapprochement and spun to face him – the first one who had attacked him leapt up into the air and flashed through the seals for a basic fire technique.

"**Katon: Hinotama no Jutsu!**" A streak of fire, thinner and more precise than the Grand Fireball Sasuke had used earlier shot towards Kakashi, clearly in an attempt to avoid popping any clones. Kakashi marveled at the two boys working together – this was more than he'd ever seen from any of the other groups he'd tested. The fake Sasuke took the distraction to draw a kunai and leap at Kakashi's lower body. Kakashi shoved the two clones he was fighting aside and hopped away from the streak of flames, but the fake Sasuke hurled a kunai towards his head. Even as the kunai flew, a shower of kunai and shuriken from the remaining clones and another flaming jet from Sasuke flew at Kakashi.

Kakashi began to dodge the attacks, but even as he did so, the fake Sasuke reached him, lashing out with a kick as the real one landed behind him. Kakashi decided to sweep the fake's legs so he could flicker away. However, rather than an outraged cry as appropriate from the loud blonde ninja, Kakashi's sweep instead caused a small cloud of smoke to erupt around the fake – revealing a shorter, slighter pink-haired form. Kakashi froze in surprise – and Sasuke cried out.

"Now!" Kakashi spun unbelievably fast – but nothing happened at all. Instead, Sasuke began flashing through the seals for another technique. Kakashi hopped back to escape, but one of the shuriken thrown at him earlier transformed into another Naruto – the real one, Kakashi realized. Kakashi yelped and nearly tripped away as Naruto reached for his belt unimpeded…

But for the sound of a timer ringing on the innocent stump several meters away. The sound of the end of the game.

* * *

Naruto slumped, dejected, on the ground in front of Kakashi. His two would-be-teammates stood on either side of him, faces full of their own abject turmoil, while Kakashi's was totally blank. The noontide sun hovered overhead as the three genin ignored their empty stomachs in favor of their plunging moods.

"Why did you do that?" Kakashi spoke quietly, and Naruto could feel the intensity in the air. He'd expected to be told that he'd failed – that they'd all failed. Kakashi's strange expression, from what could be seen of it, spoke differently – but how differently Naruto didn't know. Sakura was the one to reply.

"Do what, sensei?"

"Work together. You knew there were only two bells, two lunches – yet all three of you came together. Why?" Sakura swallowed. Sasuke's eyes glinted with something unidentifiable, and Naruto felt his plummeting stomach begin to climb back into his abdomen. Maybe there was a chance?

"We… we figured that there was no way we could beat you working apart, Sensei… So we thought, maybe if we worked TOGETHER…" Sakura stopped, biting her lip. Naruto picked up, his voice full of fervor. He didn't know what was happening, but knew Kakashi wasn't just going to fail them. He wasn't going to let it happen.

"We worked together as a team, Sensei. You might be a jounin, and we're just… we're not even genin yet – but there's no way we were going to let that hold us back! We have dreams, Sensei! Dreams we told you about, and you weren't going to stand in our way!" Sasuke spoke up at last, quieter even than Sakura.

"… Iruka-sensei always said it in classes. The heart of Konoha is its teamwork. So we worked together." Kakashi's face had gone totally blank.

"Perhaps I could give you another chance… Let you try again, since you seem so fervent?" The three looked up, their hearts in their eyes, and Naruto grinned.

"You'd do that, Sensei? We won't let you down! We'll -"

"After lunch. Naruto, for being such a loudmouth, you don't get to eat. The other two will eat, and you -"

"No." It was Sasuke, standing now, with an implacable look on his face. "No, we aren't going to do that. Naruto tried just as hard as we did – harder, since he came up with the plan." Sakura scrambled to her feet as well.

"Yeah! If you say there are only two lunches, that's OK – we'll split them, Sensei. But he's just as hungry as us." Naruto's eyes, filled with tears, stared in awe at the two, and Kakashi felt something pulse inside of him. He'd only picked Naruto because he'd thought if Sakura or Sasuke were left hungry, Naruto or Sakura respectively would have fed them in a heartbeat. But it seemed roots ran deeper than he'd thought.

"Is that your final decision?" Sakura quavered but didn't move, while Sasuke's turmoil only showed in his eyes. Naruto spoke, his voice quaking slightly.

"Guys… it's ok… this way we'll have another chance…" Sasuke shook his head.

"No. If you're hungry, it won't really be a chance – you'll be dead weight, and the two of us can't beat Kakashi on our own." Sakura nodded, and the clearing was still as a portrait for a moment.

Those who make history are usually blind, but Kakashi felt the fingers of fate on his shoulder just then, As if in a trance, with the weight of the ages on his shoulders, he smiled.

"Fine then. You pass." His students remained in place, totally frozen for a moment. Naruto, predictably, was the first to react.

"Wait, what?! Pass?!" Naruto's mouth had dropped open, while Sakura didn't look much better. Sasuke's eyes were as wide as could be, and his face had gone paler even than usual. Kakashi grinned.

"Yup. Team 7 – pass." Naruto shook his head in shock.

"But… But we failed! We failed the test!" Kakashi nodded.

"You did. Come with me." Kakashi led the three to the edge of the Training Ground, where a pretty red bridge crossed the stream that made up the western border. Across the stream was a clearing, then the grove around the Hokage Mountain. Before the mountain stood a huge stone monument with unclear markings on it, which the three students' eyes fixed on.

"Do you see that monument? It's covered in the names of the greatest heroes of the village. The greatest ninja we of the Leaf have ever produced. Many of my best friends are there – my mentor, my father, my teammates…" Naruto, full of uncontrollable excitement, whispered loudly enough that Kakashi could easily hear him.

"I wanna be on the rock then! I wanna be the GREATEST hero!" Kakashi spun around, feeling the grip of old pains on his heart. His face, he knew, was hard.

"Be careful what you wish for, Naruto – for that stone is the Great Leaf Memorial." His students' faces dropped suddenly. Everyone in Konoha knew of the memorial. Kakashi continued. "Every ninja on that stone gave their life for Konoha. They gave their lives so that we might have ours. In war, in peace, in defense of this village and its ideals… That stone epitomizes the meaning of 'ninja.'"

"Every ninja is part of a team, and a part of a mission. Those teams are part of who we are, and to die in their service – in the village's service – is an honor. The only thing, we're told, that is more important is the mission itself. Those who fail the village, it's said, are nothing but trash."

Sakura was the one to spot the discrepancy. "But Sensei… we failed the mission. We failed to retrieve the bells." Kakashi nodded, turning to face them all again.

"You did. But that's not what Konoha is REALLY about. The truth is that the heart of Konoha is the fiery will to protect our teammates and what is important to us. The true meaning of the forehead protectors we all wear is that they link us to the ninja of Konoha as a whole – the truth is that though failing or abandoning a mission may mean you are trash… abandoning a teammate means you are worse still. You need to look underneath what I said before to the real meaning, and underneath even that to the meaning of being a ninja altogether. There are many layers to the world, and you must pay attention to it all, if you want to answer this question: What does it mean to you to be a ninja?"

* * *

After his speech, Kakashi had instructed his team to meet the following morning at the bridge to discuss Team 7's future, but had given them all the day off. Despite his satisfaction at passing, Sasuke had remained annoyed at his inability to face Kakashi alone, and had decided to make his way back to the Uchiha compound to train.

Sakura, much happier with her performance and with the team's passage, had decided to return home and report her success to her parents – knowing that she'd be busy for the next several weeks, she had opted to spend the evening with them. While she'd contemplated asking Sasuke on a date, she had decided that his mood didn't seem particularly inviting, and had thought better of it.

Naruto, on the other hand, had at first thought of asking Sakura to go to his favorite ramen stand with him, but remembering her harsh words earlier, when he'd taken on Sasuke's form, he had decided that it might be better to give the girl some space. Instead, he'd made his way to the Ichiraku ramen stand alone.

The stand was operated by Ichiraku Teuchi, a cheerful chef of Water Country extraction, and his pretty daughter Ayame. Teuchi, tall and burly, had immigrated into Konoha before being married to a native, and was always ready with a kind word for Naruto, despite his first stand having been destroyed in the Kyuubi attack years before. The chef was mostly bald with a fuzz of black and grey, and his apron lay over a bit of a pot belly.

Ayame, on the other hand, must have taken after her mother, looking nothing like her father at all – several years older than Naruto, the girl had a petite frame and cheerful attitude that Naruto was certain were at least some of the draw Ichiraku held to the populace of Konoha. The brown-haired-and-eyed Ayame was always a good listener – a trait being put to good use that evening.

"… And then Kakashi-sensei told us we passed, and talked about heroes and how betraying your team is worse than trash, and how the world was like a cake – and so I'm a genin now! For real!" Ayame, sitting next to Naruto, applauded – she'd gasped at all the right parts, cheered when Naruto's gambles had worked, and Naruto felt his spirits soaring. Teuchi, wiping a bowl clean, grinned over the counter.

"So you've got a real job now, Naruto – does that mean you won't make your poor teacher pay for all the ramen you eat?" Naruto grinned in reply, shaking his head.

"Nah, probably just going to make sure to get Kakashi-sensei pay for some bills too! If I paid for all the ramen I ate, I'd be broke in a month!" As another bowl of pork ramen, Naruto's fourth, slid before him, Ayame added her own thoughts.

"I don't know if you should be so callous with Iruka-san and your other teacher's money, you know – I mean, you're going to go on missions too now, yeah?" Naruto waited until he'd swallowed his current mouthful – manners Ayame herself had drilled into him – before answering.

"Yeah! I'm gonna have to ask Sensei tomorrow what kinds of missions we'll be doing – gotta be great ones, because I'm gonna be a great ninja! Maybe battling evil spirits, rescuing princesses, saving villages!" Naruto waved his hands to illustrate, and Ayame chuckled in response.

"I'm sure that whatever missions you're on, you'll do great, Naruto-kun. You've got what it takes to be a great ninja in my book." Inexplicably, though, this led Naruto to frown slightly. Teuchi noticed immediately.

"Something wrong?"

"No… I mean… Kakashi-sensei said something similar at the end of his speech too. About being a great ninja. He asked 'what does it mean to you to be a ninja?'" Naruto sipped his broth contemplatively as the Ichirakus exchanged glances. Naruto wasn't really a deep thinker at the best of times – and this was new in their reckoning. Ayame spoke carefully.

"Naruto-kun… I know you're really determined to do your best, but… you're just starting. I'm sure you'll have a chance to answer that question as you go, right?" Naruto smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I guess. Still I just have to wonder. What DOES it mean to be a ninja?"

* * *

**Technique Library**: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique): A non-elemental B-ranked ninjutsu which creates solid clones of the user. These clones have equivalent strength and speed to the user, though they divide the user's chakra proportionally – summoning a clone halves the user's chakra; summoning four quarters it, etc. Upon dismissal, the user gains all the memories of the clone.

Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu (Hell Viewing Technique): A D-ranked Fear-based genjutsu that forces the subject to view something they are deeply afraid of and hold deep within their heart. The vision is typically gruesome – but since it may not be particularly likely or realistic, the illusion is fairly easy to realize.

Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Grand Fireball Technique): A C-ranked Fire ninjutsu which expels a jet of fire from the user's mouth which blossoms into a larger globe upon reaching its target. Skilled users can select where the flame erupts, while less skilled users typically use the technique as a continuous flamethrower.

Doton: Shinjuu Zanshuu no Jutsu (Double Suicide Decapitation Technique): A C-ranked Earth ninjutsu which extends the use of "Doton: Dochuu Eigyo (Underground Projection Fish)" to others – while travelling through the ground, the user drags the object of their technique underground, trapping them.

Katon: Hinotama no Jutsu (Fireball Technique): A D-ranked Fire ninjutsu which expels a thin streak of flame from the user's mouth. The fire moves quickly in a direction and acts much like an arrow or other projectile – skilled users can make the fiery arrow larger or more explosive in nature.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello, and welcome to Naruto: Birth of a Ninja!

This author's note is just a little insight into what this story is about and all – I've put it at the end rather than the beginning so those who just want to read the story don't have to dig through my rambling. What guided me to this story is that question in the summary – what does it mean to be a ninja?

I think the path towards that answer is a lot more interesting than the answer itself, which is why that's what the story will be about – Naruto's attempt to answer that question by living his life with the goal of becoming the greatest ninja of all time.

I know a reasonable amount of this chapter was pretty close to the original, but the differences here are what drive changes beginning in the next chapter, so I hope you're willing to continue.

Anyways, though I'm just getting started, I hope you'll enjoy this story. Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	2. Chapter 2: Preparing the Ground

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 9, 2014 (Updated August 13)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 2: Preparing the Ground**

_Wherein Kakashi decides to take his students seriously._

* * *

While his students had disappeared to celebrate their victory, Kakashi's day wasn't done yet. The elite jounin made his way across Konoha in a blur, arriving in a swirl of dried leaves and dust motes in front of the Hokage's administrative office. A pair of chuunin stood at attention, one on either side of the main doors which stood open as petitioners flowed in and out, making their way to all manner of offices and magistrates inside. Kakashi gave a nod to the two, who saluted in return – the chuunin weren't the main protection of the offices, Kakashi knew – that responsibility fell to the ANBU guards hidden all around.

Kakashi strode through the doors, easily parting the crowd and maneuvering up the stairs to the top of the building. The staircase led directly into a small reception office. The simple set-up, tasteful wall scrolls and plants, and mildly attractive secretary in formal clothing belied the importance of the location – the reception area for the office of the Hokage himself. The secretary, actually a highly-trained ANBU guardswoman, smiled at Kakashi – he knew the face she wore wasn't her real one.

"Hokage-sama is waiting for you inside, Kakashi-san." While the voice seemed familiar, Kakashi didn't spend overlong thinking about it – it was likely better not to blow the agent's cover. Instead, he swept into the following room, a much larger office with more plants and artwork, along with a huge window overlooking Konoha's administrative heart and facing the Hokage Mountain. Next to the window was a large hardwood desk with several stacks of important-looking papers on it, along with a bookshelf filled with books and scrolls against the wall. Opposite sat a fluffy-looking couch on which rested a pair of individuals Kakashi was very familiar with.

Sarutobi Asuma was a powerfully-built man wearing the usual Jounin outfit. Bearded, with thick brown hair and warm dark eyes, the tall, broad man was a good friend of Kakashi's. Asuma was the Hokage's younger son, the elder having gone missing on a mission several years prior; smart and well-rounded, Kakashi expected him to be promoted to the same Elite status Kakashi himself held soon – as soon as his tense relations with his father eased.

The other individual was Yuuhi Kurenai, a more recent friend of Kakashi's – he'd only met her after her jounin ceremony a few months prior. The black-haired, red-eyed Kurenai wore a set of regulation blue tights with a wrapped red-and-white bandage dress under her jounin vest. Kakashi had once wondered how she got away with wearing the decidedly non-regulation dress, until she'd informed him of its relevance to her clan. Despite being a new jounin, Kakashi respected her quite well.

The final individual in the room sat behind the large desk. Clad in flowing, pristine robes of white and red with a conical hat emblazoned with the symbol for "Fire," sat an elderly man mottled with liver spots. Sarutobi Hiruzen's age showed in his wrinkles as well as his silvery-white goatee and fringe of hair, but the canny glint in his grey eyes and long, still-powerful fingers remained active. Kakashi kept up his bored façade as he entered.

"Elite Jounin Hatake Kakashi reporting on behalf of Prospective Genin Team Seven, sir." Kakashi's roving eye caught the tension in both Asuma and Kurenai's faces. "Team Seven confirmed." Asuma nodded; tossing aside the butt of the cigarette he'd been gnawing on and drew a new one, ignoring Kurenai's disapproving look. Kurenai herself graced Kakashi with a smile which he acknowledged with a nod.

"Confirmed, hmm? Iruka-san will be very glad to hear that. He waited here for nearly an hour with us before returning – reluctantly – to the mission desk, you know." The Hokage's deep, rasping voice echoed through the room. Kakashi said nothing, suspecting the Hokage had more to say.

"You are the twelfth – and final – Jounin to report a confirmation Kakashi-kun – all of the other Jounin-sensei have returned already. Thirty-six new genin is not a bad year, particularly since four of the failing teams reported that their genin likely would pass after the remedial course. My son and Yuuhi-san both had successful teams as well." Kakashi turned his gaze to the mentioned individuals. He remembered that both teams were made up entirely of members, and in most cases heirs and heiresses, of the Great Shinobi Clans, and was unsurprised. He had been shocked that a beginning Jounin like Kurenai would be assigned a team of such high-value genin – but then, she had spent part of her service as a chuunin in the Academy, and another part as a hunter-nin – so perhaps it wasn't so surprising after all.

Asuma's assignment, on the other hand, he thought was quite fitting – that the Hokage's son would lead a resurrected Ino-Shika-Chou trio was quite sensible indeed, since the Hokage's now-deceased younger brother had led the original. Asuma was easygoing but persuasive, effective both in and out of combat – an ideal leader to a team already likely to work well together.

Kakashi realized that the Hokage had said something he'd missed while contemplating his friends' teams, and turned back to him. "Sorry, Hokage-sama?"

"I asked what your plans for your team are, Kakashi-kun." Kakashi thought for only a moment before going through with the notion he'd had while making his way to the tower.

"In that regard, Hokage-sama, I'd like to request a three-month training extension for Team 7… and for myself." The other three occupants of the room stared incredulously. While some teams required additional training time before being cleared for missions, it was quite unusual, particularly for a team with such high-caliber members as Uchiha Sasuke and his ilk. The Hokage sighed.

"I should have known you would be difficult even when you finally accepted a team. You understand that there are only nine months until the Chuunin Exams are held here in Konoha, yes?" Kakashi nodded. "And you understand that we must do everything we can to expand our image and prove our strength, Kakashi-kun?" Kakashi nodded again, replying this time.

"Hokage-sama, I understand all of that. I understand that it's unusual in the extreme for a high-profile team like mine to be given leave. However, I believe circumstances dictate that leave for training would do my team a great deal of good – enough to justify such an expenditure of time." Time, all in the room understood, was money – every day that went by that Kakashi's team wasn't accomplishing missions was funding that was draining away from Konoha – and every day that Uchiha Sasuke remained out of sight was a day the Council would wonder where he'd gone.

"Kakashi-kun, I understand that. However, it is equally true that Yuuhi-san or Asuma's teams would benefit from time to train. Yet both of them have submitted ordinary schedules – they take their first D-ranked missions on the day after tomorrow, after a preliminary assessment. Why should your team be different?" Kakashi leaned forward at this.

"Because, Hokage-sama, as we all know, my team IS different. They all show spectacular potential, and better yet, show potential to work together to become something greater still. If they'd launched their plan to retrieve the bells even a few moments earlier, they would have gotten them before the timer ran out." Asuma started at this.

"You put them through that infernal bell test?" Kakashi nodded, and both the other jounin gave him a shocked look. The Hokage gestured at Kakashi to continue.

"My team has the potential to become some of the greatest ninja Konoha has ever produced – they could do anything – but they need time. Naruto is full of rashness and unchecked energy. Sasuke is prideful and uncompromising. Sakura is nervous and relies too heavily on her natural intelligence. I need time to break their respective arrogances, Hokage-sama. I need to beat them into shape – and more yet, into a team. Give me three months, and I swear I can do it."

Asuma and Kurenai still looked doubtful, but Kakashi didn't much care what they thought. The Hokage nodded slowly and Kakashi knew his argument was won. "Very well, Kakashi-kun. You have… convinced me. I'll back your plan to the Council – you have your three months. Use them wisely, or even I will have a hard time defending your actions." Kakashi nodded gravely. The Council might not have any official authority over him or his actions, but they could make life rather difficult for the Hokage, especially if Kakashi wasted the time he'd been given.

"I will, Hokage-sama. They may yet be raw iron – but in three months, they'll be the steel we need."

* * *

The next morning found Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura back on Training Ground 21. They were all fairly certain Kakashi would show up late again, but just in case, had arrived on time – and sure enough, had been kept waiting. Sakura had brought a book and was alternately reading it and stealing glances at Sasuke while blushing. Sasuke had clearly decided not to waste his time, and was going steadily through taijutsu forms several meters away from the others. Naruto himself had decided that Sasuke had a semblance of a good idea, though he'd never say so, and had begun doing push-ups on top of a large boulder near the center of the training field.

Nearly two hours after they'd arrived (luckily having eaten breakfast this time), Kakashi appeared on the bridge in a swirl of grass blades and leaves from the nearby willow tree. Hopping off the rock, Naruto hurried to join his teammates. Late or not, he'd been brimming with anticipation for Kakashi's arrival.

"Yo!" Kakashi effusively greeted his team. A vein pulsing in her forehead, Sakura snapped in reply.

"You're late, Sensei. AGAIN." Naruto nodded vigorously in agreement, while Sasuke said nothing but stared at the tardy jounin. Kakashi scratched at the back of his neck, grinning under his mask.

"Ah, well… about that. I sort of got lost… on… the road of life?" His questioning tone belied his words, and Naruto was the first to gather himself enough to retort.

"Liar! Whatever, why don't we just get to the meeting…" Naruto leaned against the tree, frowning, while Sakura just bit her lip. Sasuke continued to stare at Kakashi without a word. Kakashi nodded slowly and uncrossed his arms. As his face sharpened into a serious look, all three genin paid close attention.

"All right, kids, I'll speak simply. You are now Team Seven – a genin team of Konoha. As ninjas, you are officially adults, with all the rights and responsibilities accompanying. I know Iruka-san at the Academy told you all about that, so I won't waste time – time we don't have. Genin squads are normally required, like most ninja, to accomplish missions on a certain schedule – or more often, if possible. Right now, the other eleven genin squads are probably picking up their first missions." The three faces before him shined in anticipation – to differing degrees, naturally, with Sasuke's "shine" being more of a look in his eye.

"You will not be doing any such thing." Kakashi gleefully watched Sakura's face descend into confusion, then into frustration. Sasuke's eye twitched and he scowled, while Naruto's face morphed into a mask of outrage.

"What? Why not?!" Kakashi grinned.

"I'm glad you asked, Naruto. It's because you all suck!" His genin couldn't have been more shocked if they'd been struck by lightning. Again, it was Naruto who replied.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kakashi wondered if his sensei was watching over him somewhere, making sure Naruto kept saying the right things.

"What it means, Naruto, is that you , Sasuke, and Sakura have a long way to go before I'm willing to trust you on real missions, representing Konoha's Ninja Corps to clients. Both apart and together, you're all disasters waiting to happen." Kakashi turned first to Naruto. "Naruto, you've scarcely taken your training seriously for one moment. You wasted your entire stay at the Academy, and it's a miracle you're here right now. Yet despite your abysmal grades, you managed to learn a high-level technique in a single night. Do you know what that tells me?"

"…No?"

"It means you have potential. You have commitment and drive, and if we can just harness that, you could be an excellent ninja." Leaving Naruto confused and thinking, Kakashi turned to Sakura next. "Sakura, your problem is similar. You relied on your natural intelligence through the academy, and your academic scores are stellar. However, your practical scores are barely average, and Iruka-san's notes indicate that you tended to become exhausted faster than anyone else in the class. No matter how smart you are, you're going to run into situations where that's just not enough – and I don't want that to happen. Furthermore, you need to learn to respect both your teammates – and respect them the right way. I've watched you defer to Sasuke in everything, even when he might not have been right, and Iruka-san noticed the same thing."

After having pointed out that Sakura was a fan-girl in the absolutely kindest terms possible, Kakashi looked at Sasuke, who seemed confused.

'_Probably wondering what negatives I could possibly find in his skills. Time to enlighten the boy_.' "Sasuke, you might be in the worse state of all." Sasuke's eyes snapped up to meet Kakashi's, filled with annoyance. "Your skills are superb, and your drive unmistakable – but your weakness is worse and more difficult to temper than the others'. You're so caught up in yourself and in your own problems that you have a hard time reaching out to others to work as a team. Without bonding with your teammates and working together, you'll never achieve your true potential."

Kakashi didn't think Sasuke had really understood his words, but wasn't surprised – it was a lot to take in. Neither Naruto nor Sakura had really accepted his criticisms either – but it was an opening salvo in a war to win his students over to the right way of thinking. While Sasuke simply gritted his teeth and Sakura looked a little lost, Naruto replied.

"But… Sensei, we worked together during the test, right? I'm sure we could work together during missions too…" Naruto trailed off. Kakashi shook his head.

"That might turn out true, but it's not enough, in my opinion. You don't yet show the desire to improve, and without that, I don't think you're likely to make any real effort to work together except when it's absolutely vital. You're not thinking like ninjas yet – you're not even wearing your uniforms." Kakashi passed an eye over Sasuke's shorts and shirt, Naruto's horrid orange garb, and Sakura's bright red dress. Sakura, of course, was the first to reply with a regulation.

"But Sensei, regulations don't require genin to wear uniforms except on formal occasion! We didn't know we'd -" Kakashi smirked and replied.

"Well, I'm countermanding that. From now all, all of you are required to wear regulation apparel – plain dark blue fatigues, weapon holsters, bandaged wrists and ankles, the lot. You can wear any approved pieces of clothing with your uniform, but from now on, you're Konoha ninjas, so you'll look the part at least." This seemed to be acceptable to the genin, who all nodded – Kakashi was unsurprised, since they were likely all used to wearing the outfit for formal occasions at the Academy already. Naruto spoke up again.

"Sensei, if we're not doing missions, what… are we doing?" Kakashi grinned at this.

"Go back home and change, and then meet back here in two hours, after lunch. In a word, training."

* * *

Naruto had returned home to change, and scowled at himself in the mirror. It wasn't that regulation dress looked BAD, after all – Naruto quite liked the dark clothing. Unlike most clothes he could afford with his orphan stipend (which, he reminded himself, he'd no longer receive beginning at the end of the month…), the uniform was warm but breathed well, was tailored to fit him, and was sturdy with a layer of mesh sown between two layers of cloth.

'_But it's so bland!_' Naruto griped silently. The blue top held a pair of chest pockets and the pants several more at the hips, rear, and knees. Fasteners on either leg allowed shuriken and kunai holsters to be attached or bandaged on. Naruto had selected grey bandages when he'd first gotten his outfit, and hadn't changed them even as the outfits had been traded in for larger ones. The bandages now cinched his ankles and wrists. Naruto had found a pair of fingerless gloves like Kakashi's own as well, though he'd never worn them before – they were a little too big, but Naruto had wrapped his hands in bandages as well, and they fit well enough.

Twisting his mouth at his own appearance and adjusting his forehead protector, Naruto had an idea, and glanced at the "Approved Clothing Items" list again. He messed about in his closet and withdrew his orange jumpsuit. Taking a kunai, he tore the arms off of the top half and cut the remaining top half from the bottom.

After all – vests were allowed.

* * *

Naruto returned to the Training Ground only a couple minutes before the time was up, the last of his team to do so. Sasuke was wearing the uniform with an Uchiha fan stitched onto the back, an outfit Naruto recalled him wearing previously at the Academy's graduation ceremony. Sakura had opted for the blue tights many of the girls liked to wear, since more clothing options were approved with them – Sakura had donned a short-sleeved dark green dress over the tights, which Naruto recalled she'd worn before as well.

Sasuke was the first to spot Naruto and snorted, even as Sakura covered her mouth. Whether in horror or amusement Naruto was unsure.

"Naruto, what are you…"

"Hey Sakura-chan! The rules say vests are allowed, so…" Naruto grinned, and Sakura sighed as she rubbed her temples. Sasuke quirked his lip slightly and Naruto gaped.

"Are… are you smiling?" Sasuke's smile vanished. Sakura seemed about to say something, but stopped. They waited for a moment in awkward silence before Sakura spoke again.

"Do you think Sensei will be late again, or is once enough tardiness for the day?" Their question wasn't answered for half an hour, at which point Kakashi appeared in a swirl of leaves.

"Yo! Sorry I'm late again ("No, you're not," muttered Naruto), but I got caught up in a trap someone left out!" His genin looked at him mutinously, though based on the strange brown smear on his leg, Naruto wondered if the jounin might actually be telling the truth this time. Kakashi coughed slightly, breaking the silence, and then let his smile drop into a serious look.

"Yesterday, after I dismissed you, I reported to the Hokage regarding my plans for you, and obtained leave to train you for the next three months without taking missions." The genins' faces showed the surprise Kakashi knew they would. "You all understand how rare such a dispensation is, and how seriously the Hokage takes your futures – he has entrusted me with the responsibility of making sure you are the best you can be – and I aim to deliver."

Kakashi paced before the three genin. "First, I need to understand where your strengths and weaknesses lie – and the best way is to run a basic assessment." Kakashi withdrew a scroll from his vest and unrolled it, revealing a series of exercises and techniques. "Each of you will run through this list – some of them all at once and others in sequence. Make no mistake – by the end of this assessment, you WILL be exhausted. Let's begin."

* * *

Naruto had to admit by the end of the day – the assessment was brutal. Kakashi had begun by testing the three genins' most basic abilities by having them perform push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and other basic exercises, followed by stretches, then setting them to run around the entire Training Ground. When Naruto had protested, Kakashi had pointed out that a colleague of his often ordered his students to run around all of Konoha – shutting Naruto up immediately.

Once the exercises had been done, Kakashi hadn't allowed them to rest, but instead had given them each a small red pill Sakura had recognized and identified as a "soldier pill," a chakra-based energy steroid that would replenish their vigor – but, as Sakura hesitantly pointed out, was degenerative to the muscles and lethal in large doses. Kakashi had dismissed her concern by pointing out that the pills would only be used for the purpose of his assessment, so there was nothing to worry about.

Oddly, despite Sasuke's and Sakura's panting and wheezing, Naruto had hardly felt tired to begin with, but he took the pill nonetheless. He didn't understand his teammates' reactions either, as their eyes opened, their breathing slowed, and they looked truly replenished – Naruto hardly felt a thing. Again, he said nothing. He assumed it had been something to do with the same reason Kakashi had stopped him running around the grounds once he'd done three laps more than a glaring Sasuke.

Kakashi had next moved onto what he had called "chakra exercises," ordering his genin to perform all the Academy techniques – while Sakura and Sasuke could perform the three easily, Naruto had once again failed to complete the basic clone technique, and had defaulted to the shadow clones he'd grown to enjoy using. Again, Kakashi had frowned at this and marked something down – and Naruto dearly hoped he hadn't messed something up. As the sun began to set, Kakashi had ordered the three genin to perform a basic exercise Iruka had taught them – using chakra to stick leaves to their foreheads.

Though Sakura and Sasuke easily accomplished the task, Naruto glumly watched his leaf flutter to the ground once more – when he'd been in the Academy, Iruka had once caught him licking the leaf to make it sticky – he'd been forced to copy lines for that. Kakashi stared at him with a piercing look and Naruto feared the jounin was regretting taking him as a genin.

"Naruto, next time you try that, tell me what it feels like to hold the leaf with your chakra." As Sasuke and Sakura sat nearby; Naruto took the leaf once more and applied it to his forehead. He reached inside himself, deep into his chakra core, ignoring the disrupting swirls of chakra that weakened his grip. He pulled forth his chakra and touched it to the leaf and imagined the leaf held to his head – and for a moment the leaf remained in place. As usual, though, one of the dark swirls of chakra swept up the stream and broke his grip – and the leaf slowly fluttered down.

"It… It feels like I'm trying to hold the leaf – I'm bringing up chakra and trying to hold it and this swirl of wild energy just… Breaks my grip." Kakashi nodded slowly.

"Hmm. Try something else then – try pulling less chakra, and when you feel that 'swirl' acting up, pull a little more chakra and replace the first 'touch' with the new one." Naruto nodded and again applied the leaf against his forehead, holding it. He felt inside himself as a swirl slowly drifted up his chakra current towards his forehead, and drew a second dose of chakra from the maelstrom inside himself. Even as the swirl caught up to the leaf and decayed his grip, Naruto forced the new tendril of chakra forward, and kept his tenuous grasp. As he felt another swirl rising, he repeated the process – and again. Suddenly Naruto realized he'd been holding the leaf against his forehead for nearly a minute, and Sakura was smiling. Sasuke looked slightly sullen, and Naruto grinned. His focus faltered and the leaf fell away.

"Damn it!" Kakashi chuckled and rose, ruffling Naruto's hair, sending a warm feeling through the boy – only Iruka-sensei had ever done that before.

"No, Naruto – it's all right. I think I understand what's wrong – your chakra's… UNIQUE nature is just acting up – think of it like a tornado – even as your chakra is spinning one way, that… wild energy… is spinning the other way and breaking apart your chakra's form." Naruto listened with rapt attention. Could this be why techniques were so hard for him? "We'll need to train you to keep that wild energy down – until then, try using this technique." Sakura raised her hand hesitantly.

"Er, Sensei? I have two questions… first, what's this "wild energy?" I've never heard of anyone having a problem like that. The other one… doesn't the method you're talking about… you know, restarting the technique every time as it's faltering… use double or triple the chakra it should?" Kakashi's eye glinted as he looked at Sakura, and Naruto wondered what he'd say. He found himself fearing if his teacher decided to opt for the truth – how would his teammates react?

"Both have to do with the unique nature of Naruto's chakra. He has a great deal of chakra – a truly immense amount, perhaps more than the Hokage himself. However, in turn, his chakra is incredibly difficult to control, due to that wild energy we spoke of." Sakura still looked confused, but Sasuke nodded.

"A bloodline, then? A new bloodline?" Kakashi nodded.

"Yes, something like that." Sasuke smirked slightly and Naruto realized that the reason he'd been so dour was because of how easily Naruto had managed to outlast him during the exercises earlier. Being able to chalk Naruto's superiority up to a bloodline ability soothed Sasuke's pride – and honestly, if it kept his teammates from poking around at Naruto's secrets, he was satisfied with the explanation.

Kakashi seemed to know when enough was enough. "Well, it's getting late, and we're about at the halfway point of this assessment. Head home, eat a big dinner, and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we'll finish up and we'll work out a system of training."

The one-eyed jounin vanished in a swirl of leaves and grass, leaving the three genin to trudge back to the lights of the village from the remote training field. Sakura gave Naruto a curious look.

"Did you know about your bloodline before, Naruto? You looked almost as surprised as we were." Naruto, thinking furiously, shook his head.

"I… sort of found out part of it when that whole mess with Mizuki-sensei happened, but I only know that it helped me heal faster. I didn't know about all this." Sakura smiled.

"It's really cool though, you know? Having a bloodline, especially a new one! I mean, having so much chakra, even if it's hard to control…" Sasuke spoke up then.

"It's a powerful ability. Perhaps not in the same way the Sharingan or Byakugan are, but in its own way… healing, stamina, and increased chakra reserves are nothing to scoff at. Even if you couldn't beat an enemy straightaway, you could just outlast them." Naruto nodded, reluctantly impressed at Sasuke's analysis, while Sakura took Sasuke's approval as the best recommendation possible.

Though the rest of the genins' walk home was in silence, it felt a mite more companionable than before.

* * *

The next morning began with Kakashi leaving his team to wait for nearly two hours again, but they were already growing used to this new set-up. Sasuke began to practice taijutsu forms again while Sakura, embarrassed at how quickly she'd had to give up during the exercises the previous day, began to jog around the field. Naruto, determined to improve his control regardless of the so-called 'wild energy,' performed the leaf exercise – and when releasing one tendril of chakra for the next became too easy, he began to stick two and then three leaves to his face.

It was this to sight that Kakashi arrived – Sakura panting as she jogged around for the umpteenth time, Sasuke slowly moving through his eighth form, and Naruto twitching his nose, desperately wanting to scratch it but unwilling to dislodge his recently-added fourth leaf.

"Well, I can't fault your diligence, I suppose." The genin quickly made their way to him, the leaves falling away from Naruto's face. Kakashi withdrew the scroll once more.

"All right, we covered physical fitness and chakra control yesterday, along with your basic techniques. Today, we're going to begin with chakra capacity. Each of you step away from one another, flare your chakra, and hold it as long as you can."

The genin followed Kakashi's instructions, separating and forming the Ram seal. As their chakra flared, the blue energy flowed around Sakura and Sasuke, whirling around them steadily. Sakura was the first to tire, letting her energy go. Disappointed, she turned to her teammates and froze.

While Sasuke's aura was just as she'd expected, Naruto's was a deeper shade, closer to indigo. She could even see the wisps of reddish energy that whipped through his aura, creating the strange hue. Sasuke released his aura several seconds after her, breathing heavily – but Naruto continued. The two astonished genin watched as Naruto's aura, pure and unfaltering, but wild, continued to flare and blaze around his body for nearly another half-minute before Kakashi, shaking his head, motioned the boy to stop. Naruto did, showing hardly any signs of tiredness.

"What kind of bloodline…" Sakura began, shocked, but Sasuke shook his head.

"It's Naruto's business what his bloodline does. I wouldn't tell the secrets of the Sharingan." Sakura nodded, and Kakashi smiled slightly.

"All right, I think we're done with that – the assessment includes a section on weapons, but I'm going to skip that, since if you can't hit a target with a kunai, then you shouldn't have graduated in the first place. That just leaves sparring, and any other techniques you know. I think I'll have you each spar with me – whoever's not sparring, watch and be prepared to comment afterwards." Kakashi put his scroll aside and cracked his neck. His students looked at one another and Naruto nodded.

"I'll go first." Naruto stepped forward – he knew the fight was to show how tough he was rather than to beat Kakashi, but his resentment from the humiliation of the bell test remained. Kakashi settled into a loose stance.

"Begin!" Naruto leapt forward, landing on his right foot, and pivoted to begin with a snapping kick at the jounin's head. Kakashi blocked it easily, so Naruto followed up with a pair of vicious punches – again, Kakashi deflected the blows. Naruto gnashed his teeth and spun around to deliver a back-fist, but Kakashi leaned away, and then went on the offensive.

Quickly Naruto found himself ground down as Kakashi's quick blows rained towards him. He knocked away a kick and blocked a punch, but Kakashi's next attack, an uppercut, caught him in the stomach, driving the wind from his lungs. Naruto coughed but staggered back just in time to avoid Kakashi's next punch. He tried to launch a swing, but Kakashi was within his reach before he could do so and swept his legs from under him.

Naruto looked up from the ground, regaining his breath rapidly and shaking his scrambled head. Sasuke and Sakura looked on, slightly shocked at how efficiently Kakashi had disabled Naruto's offensive, which they remembered wearing down most of the other students in their class.

"Good showing, Naruto, if a little rash. Sasuke, what are your thoughts?" Kakashi said pleasantly, helping Naruto up.

"He's reckless. He goes in too quickly and doesn't know how to defend himself when the tables are turned. And his technique is bad." Naruto's eyes flashed in annoyance.

"Oh like you -"

"That's enough, Naruto. Sasuke's criticisms are accurate, if stated unnecessarily harshly. Sakura?" Emboldened by Sasuke, she spoke seriously as well.

"Naruto fights really quickly – I mean, he's faster than most of the people in our class, and he hits hard too – but there's something off about his technique, Sasuke-kun is right. His hits aren't doing as much as they should, and he's too easy to take off balance." Naruto slumped slightly at the brutal assessments. Kakashi patted his shoulder, though.

"Now, Naruto – it's not entirely your fault. Sasuke is right – your technique is a little ragged – but the main problem is that it doesn't suit you at all." Naruto looked up, surprised. "You, like Sakura, I wager, use the basic Academy taijutsu style. It's very effective for a certain body type, and particularly to learn further styles. However, while you're fairly lean, you have more muscle than, say, Sasuke. Not to mention that while you're short now, you have rather long limbs – you're probably going to grow fairly tall, and will need a suited style." Naruto's eyes were wide.

"So… It's not that I'm bad then, it's that I need a better style, right?" Kakashi chuckled.

"In a manner of speaking. You still need to work harder on perfecting your movements. Still, I'll see if I can't either teach you a style I know or find someone to do so. Sasuke, you're next."

As Naruto clambered to take a seat on the grass, Sasuke stood and settled into a stance Kakashi recognized well – the Intercepting Fist style of the Uchiha. Kakashi had a flashback to Obito in the same stance for a moment, but it didn't fit – Obito was clumsier and shorter, and didn't have quite as perfect a position. Though Kakashi himself usually used the same style, because of his adopted eye, Kakashi couldn't picture him in Sasuke's position either – even as a young man Kakashi hadn't had the sort of fire he saw in Sasuke's eyes.

"Begin!" Sasuke was moving forward before Kakashi finished his word, beginning with a quick knife hand meant to gauge an enemy's commitment. Kakashi let his head flow backwards, away from the attack, and countered with a shin-kick that Sasuke stepped away from. Sasuke tried to elbow Kakashi to open some space, but Kakashi was out of the way before the attack was in position, and jabbed Sasuke in the shoulder. The blow didn't do much, but set Sasuke up for a vicious knee strike that followed.

Sasuke, though, was perceptive enough to spot the attack and quick enough to step away from it. Kakashi slid along the slightly wet grass to his left, whirling a low kick under Sasuke's guard, forcing the boy to jump. Sasuke realized that he was vulnerable in the air, unable to dodge, and lifted his knees high to protect his torso – but that just set up him for the spinning wheel-kick Kakashi laid across his side. Though protected from the blow, Sasuke was carried several meters by the force of it and rolled along the ground with a gasp, picking himself up in time for Kakashi to almost appear before him.

Sasuke hurled himself back, avoiding Kakashi's spear-hand, but it had been a decoy to begin with; Kakashi slammed the same hand downward, landing it into Sasuke's abdomen. The boy's attempt to reinforce his abdominal muscles with chakra weren't enough, and Sasuke was left wheezing. Kakashi helped him up and they walked back to where Sakura stood, color in her cheeks, and Naruto sat grinning.

"Excellent performance, Sasuke. Now, Sakura, what did you see."

"Sasuke-kun had great form! He reacted to your attacks and took opportunities wherever he saw them!" Kakashi's raised eyebrow quelled her a bit, and Sakura thought hard. "But… he was arrogant. He should have been more careful in judging your attacks, especially after seeing you fight Naruto."

Sasuke, who'd expected nothing but empty praise from the girl, had a pleasantly shocked look on his face. Naruto was openly surprised, but at Kakashi's look closed his mouth and coughed slightly.

"Right… uh… He had good technique, sure, but he went on the attack when it looked like his style was all about defending and countering. It's like Sasuke wasn't… I dunno… using it right." Sasuke's eyes flashed with venom, but before a spat could erupt Kakashi spoke up.

"That's extremely insightful, Naruto – yes, Sasuke's style, his family's style, in fact, is meant for defense and counterattack. Sasuke, am I correct in suspecting that since your family, you've been teaching yourself, probably from scrolls?" Sasuke nodded grimly. "That's what I thought. As Naruto said, your problem is mainly that you're using your family's counterattacking style like the Academy's more typically offensive style – and that it doesn't fit is obvious. Luckily for you, I happen to know your family's style well enough to correct your errors." Sasuke frowned in confusion.

"Wait, but how? How do you know…?"

"I fought alongside many Uchiha during the war – and one was my closest friend. It stands to reason that I'd know their style well." Kakashi felt slightly guilty about not quite answering Sasuke's question – but it was better to avoid discussing his implanted eye until a more appropriate time. Much like Naruto's seal, it was a disruptive issue that could be handled once some groundwork had been laid down. Sasuke seemed to accept Kakashi's word.

"I understand. So I don't need to give up my style?" Though Sasuke asked the question neutrally, Kakashi could hear the hot blood behind it. The Intercepting Fist was probably one of the few things left to Sasuke after his clan's demise – it was unsurprising that he didn't want to lose it.

"No. Your style suits you, as it does most Uchiha. While you may need to retrain in some techniques and tactics, the style itself is adequate." Kakashi turned to his final student, who stared nervously. "Come Sakura. Let's not waste any time."

Sakura stepped up to face him, entering the Academy starting position, much like Naruto but with a less ragged stance. Kakashi lowered himself and called out, "Begin!"

Kakashi's last student, unlike her teammates, did not attack first, but waited for Kakashi to move for her. He didn't keep her waiting, having expected this, and lashed out with a quick head-level roundhouse kick. Sakura ducked underneath and tried to lance a thrusting kick at Kakashi's stable leg, but the jounin easily bunny-hopped over it before swinging his overhead leg into an axe kick downward. Sakura dodged sideways, raising her fists, and swung hard. Kakashi blocked her first blow and leaned away from her second as the girl pressed her perceived advantage. Another kick swung low towards his knee, and Kakashi simply lifted his leg, jarring Sakura's kick with his shin.

Sakura's pained expression gave him an opportunity to move in with a flurry of swings and elbow attacks, forcing the girl away. Sakura was clearly already tiring, and Kakashi decided to end it, moving in with a nasty elbow strike to Sakura's shoulder. However, the tired girl responded with an angry swing that almost connected with the Jounin's head – and even with his arm raised to block the strike, Kakashi felt the chakra-enhanced blow jar his position. Nonetheless, that attack seemed to have been Sakura's last legs, so to speak, as Kakashi's next sweep knocked the girl's position away and left her on her back.

Naruto whooped, while Sasuke simple waited silently. Kakashi helped Sakura back to her feet. "You know the drill by now – Naruto, you first."

Naruto sobered, even as he spoke. "Well, Sakura-chan had really good form, of course – but she got tired really fast, like she did yesterday. But there was that one hit near the end that looked pretty tough!" Sakura smiled wryly at Naruto's commentary, but then turned to Sasuke.

"Sakura is weak. Naruto's comments regarding her final attack were accurate, but her attacks other than that one had little effect and she tired too quickly to capitalize." Sasuke, arms crossed, spoke quietly, but he might as well have shouted – Sakura's eyes filled with tears and Kakashi frowned. Naruto hopped up, annoyed.

"Hey, jackass, there's no need to talk like that! Sakura-chan -"

"No, he's right…" Sakura said soberly. "I… I need to exercise more. Except for when I pushed as much chakra as I could into that last hit, Sensei didn't even really have to block my attacks."

Kakashi spoke up. "Still, Sasuke, you should speak more kindly towards your teammates. And Naruto, that goes for you as well." Both boys nodded, and Sasuke had the grace to give Sakura a slightly apologetic look.

Kakashi stroked his chin, all three genin sitting before him looking impatient. "Well, we've gone through everything but any additional techniques you know. I'm sure you're pretty worn, so let's just have you tell us what you can do, hmm?"

Naruto grinned. "I can summon shadow clones! They're like normal clones, but solid! They can only take the one hit, but until then, they're real!" None of the others were surprised, having seen Naruto's clones during the bell test. Sakura shook her head.

"I… can't actually perform any techniques besides the ones we learned in the Academy. I'm sorry, Sensei." She looked ashamed, and Kakashi patted her on the shoulder.

"No, it's nothing to worry about, Sakura. Just means we'll be starting with a clean slate. Sasuke?"

"Two fire techniques, which you saw yesterday, and another one I'm just beginning to learn." Sasuke's eyes glinted with pride at the work he'd put into his techniques, and Kakashi had to admit that the boy showed exceedingly high skill for his level. That just meant he'd have to make sure his other students caught up, he supposed.

Kakashi stood up, leaving his students sitting before him. He dusted his pants off and reached into his pocket, withdrawing three strips of what appeared to be plain paper.

"This is the last thing we'll do before I render my verdict regarding your abilities so far – these pieces of paper are made from the bark of a special tree that grows by being fed with chakra. If you channel your chakra into them, they'll show what your affinities are – what elements your chakra leans towards." The students took the papers and followed Kakashi's instructions.

Naruto's reacted first, tearing itself apart quickly and fluttering as it fell to the ground. Sakura's seemed to crumble apart into dust in her hand. Sasuke's on the other hand, began by crinkling tightly before lighting aflame. Even as Sasuke let go of it in surprise, the paper burnt to ash as it fell. Kakashi smiled at all of them.

"Well, a variety we have here, hmm? Naruto, you have a very strong wind – Fuuton – affinity. Sakura, your element is earth – Doton – and Sasuke has a rare double affinity for fire and lightning, Katon and Raiton." He immediately saw Naruto's jealous look and decided to step in. "Now, that doesn't mean any one is better than another – your elemental affinity or affinities are merely what element you will find easiest to learn. While anyone can learn techniques of any element, and I encourage you all to do so, your affinities are the elements you will get the most benefit from using, since you'll be able to learn those techniques most easily." Naruto still looked a tad grouchy.

"What am I going to do with the wind, though? Blow people to death?" Sakura looked a tad sympathetic, while Sasuke said nothing. Kakashi felt a wave of sympathy for the boy that held back his irritation. Naruto had always felt inferior to his classmate, and his elemental affinity was only exacerbating that feeling. He put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and decided to give him a hint – just a hint – that might make him feel better.

Perhaps it wasn't the safest route, but, Kakashi thought, it was certainly the right one as a Sensei.

'_It's what Minato-sensei would have done_.' "Naruto, I understand that you feel a little disheartened, but let me tell you - wind, far from being weak, is often considered the strongest offensive element. Masters can slice their foes to ribbons from afar, cast armies back, and even FLY. Besides, a little secret – do you know who else had a wind affinity?" Naruto shook his head, looking uncertain.

"The Yondaime Hokage himself." Naruto's eyes filled with awe as they flickered towards the Hokage Mountain, and Kakashi felt a surge of warmth. Sasuke looked a tad grumpy, but strangely relieved, and Kakashi realized that despite his feeling of superiority, the other boy had felt uncomfortable being the source of Naruto's distress – a good sign, if nothing else, for Kakashi's attempts to bring his students together as a team. Sakura smiled happily – though she hadn't been responsible for Naruto's frustration, she was clearly happy that the problem was resolved. With his team in a better mood, Kakashi decided it was time to move on.

"Good! So gather round everyone…" His students, already sitting directly in front of him, gave him a look. "… Right. Anyways, it's time for that assessment!" The genins' eyes grew wary. Naruto let out a nervous chuckle and Sakura turned a little pale.

"Sasuke, you first. Your skills, as I've mentioned before, are excellent. You're fairly fit, have a good amount of chakra under reasonable control, can use your techniques effectively and easily, and your taijutsu is excellent. Other than the adjustments we've discussed, we will mainly spend the next three months honing your skills, teaching you new techniques, and continuing to work on your fitness." '_And seeing if we can't make a social butterfly out of that pale caterpillar…_' Kakashi turned next to Sakura.

"Sakura, your taijutsu skills and techniques are well-performed, and you've clearly studied them hard – however, your fitness is lacking and your chakra reserves are very small. As if to compensate though, your chakra control is excellent. Thus, we'll mainly focus on increasing your reserves and your fitness over the coming weeks, as well as getting some comparatively low-cost techniques into your repertoire." Finally, Kakashi turned to Naruto, who was almost vibrating in anticipation.

"Naruto, finally… while you can use the transformation and replacement techniques effectively, as well as your own shadow clone technique; your taijutsu is lacking, as is your control. While the latter is partially out of your control, the former is not – and we will be working on both nonetheless. Your immense reserves mean you have the capacity to use some very high-cost techniques effectively, and I intend to help you make use of that. Additionally, there is another aspect to your training which I will discuss with you tomorrow."

With his students standing before him, impetuous and ready to go, their blood racing, Kakashi smiled. He had three months to turn these three into the best genin in Konoha – and he truly believed he could do it. They had the potential and the will – all they needed was the right teacher.

And Kakashi, he decided, would not disappoint.

* * *

**Technique Library**: Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique): A non-elemental E-ranked ninjutsu-genjutsu hybrid which changes the appearance of the user. The technique operates by layering chakra illusions that affect various senses onto the user, along with a thin shell of additional chakra which creates the overall surface or anti-surface (in the case of an appearance smaller than the user). Transforming into an object much smaller or larger, or of a significantly different shape than the user is thus highly chakra-intensive. Due to the chakra shell, a doujutsu user with a bloodline such as the Byakugan or Sharingan cannot 'see through' the illusion, but will be very aware that a technique is in place.

Kawarimi no Jutsu (Replacement Technique): A non-elemental E-ranked ninjutsu which swaps the locations of the user and an object. The technique operates in a manner somewhat similar to "Shunshin (Body Flicker)," sheathing the user in chakra to protect them from the ill effects of rapid movement and accelerating them rapidly into the location previously occupied by the object they replace. Kawarimi also uses the basics of chakra string theory, extending an invisible string to the target object which acts as a two-way bungee cord, directing the acceleration of the object and user.

Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique): A non-elemental E-ranked genjutsu which creates auditory and visual clones of the user. These clones are not solid in any way, and so do not vanish if struck – on the other hand, concentrations of chakra such as other, stronger clones or elemental techniques can disrupt them with little difficulty.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

A couple replies to selected reviews (in general, thank you very much to everyone who reviewed – knowing that what I'm writing is appreciated helps me write more and better):

_Poppy Grave Dreams_: Indeed, it was! I enjoy dropping in references and allusions when I have a chance. Nobody loses if they're missed, and they're a lot of fun for those who see them.

_HjLostDreams_: First off, thanks for the review – I understand your frustration, since I share it. Kakashi's lack of presence in Naruto's life before the story will be addressed, never fear – since the story isn't being told from a truly omniscient perspective, I'm trying hard to avoid revealing things that'll be important later on.

Kakashi's training regimen, as you can begin to witness in this chapter, is a lot more representative of what I'd imagine a group of elite soldiers, even child soldiers, would have to go through. I can assure you that the characters, even those NOT on Team 7, will not end up identical to canon, skill-wise or otherwise.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	3. Chapter 3: Forging the Sword

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 9, 2014 (Updated August 13)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 3: Forging the Sword**

_Wherein training takes place, flashbacks are had, and Sasuke gets red eyes._

* * *

Three months almost to the day after Team 7 passed the bell test, Konoha as a whole did not look particularly different. Perhaps some people had died or been born and perhaps new buildings stood where only construction sites had been. But the most momentous difference in the village was presently outside it, in one of the many vast training grounds that littered Konoha's outskirts.

On Training Ground 21 to be precise, unofficially known as "Training Ground Kakashi" since the eponymous jounin had co-opted the location for his personal use soon after the Kyuubi's attack. Though others occasionally used it, the ground, bordered on the west by a stream crossed by a red bridge, and with nearly two thirds of its surface covered by a thickly forested glade, had played the role of Kakashi's home away from home for years.

That Kakashi had brought strangers into his 'home' did not escape the other ninja of Konoha who knew him. Said strangers, however, had missed the significance entirely. They, in fact, were too busy training to pay attention to such gossip.

Naruto gritted his teeth as he slowly extended his arm, and then raised his leg in a painstakingly slow facsimile of a kick. The forms themselves were almost second-nature to Naruto; he could flow through the motions in his sleep. However, more than the positions themselves, the difficulty came from Kakashi's decree that time spent on such practice still be used working on Naruto's gravest weakness.

* * *

"_Now, Naruto, I'm sure you don't need to be told why I've separated you from the other two for this discussion." It was the morning after Kakashi's assessment, and Naruto's excitement was overflowing. The blonde was bouncing on his toes, grinning widely enough that the corners of his mouth ached. He didn't care. Kakashi had sent Sasuke and Sakura off with a technique apiece, informing them that he'd make his way to observe their practice shortly._

"_Because… Well, because of my, uh, 'wild energy' problem, right? You said you had some ideas about how to fix it?" Naruto's mood was dampened by the subject of his vicious tenant, but Kakashi just smiled._

"_Yes. I believe that what we'll continue to call your "wild energy" issue in front of the others is causing destabilization in your chakra core. How much do you know about chakra, Naruto?" Naruto thought for a moment._

"_Iruka-sensei said that chakra was… um… the mixture of physical and mental energy! And that we use it for techniques and to strengthen ourselves and stuff!" Kakashi nodded._

"_Correct. Did you learn anything about chakra reserves or chakra control?" Naruto's guilty face told Kakashi all he needed to know. "Right, then, I'll give you a crash course on that, though you should get a hold of a book from the shinobi library about the subject and brush up. Chakra, like you said, is the confluence of mental and physical energy. Your chakra core isn't really a physical place in your body, but the spiritual center of your body, about here," Kakashi tapped Naruto on the chest, "where that mixing takes place. Chakra flows through your chakra coils, again not physical but spiritual pathways. Your coils take your chakra to wherever you want it to go, and it's expelled through what are called 'tenketsu,' though we'll just call them chakra points. Do you understand so far?"_

_As it turned out, the answer wasn't quite yes, and Kakashi took time to go over the chakra system in more depth. Eventually Naruto nodded. "Right! So, what's this got to do with the fuzzball?" Kakashi's face twisted as though he were trying not to laugh._

"_Uh, fuzzball… yeah… heh… Now, you obviously noticed you have a lot of chakra, yes?" Naruto gave Kakashi a very pointed look. "OK, a huge amount of chakra. More than me, more than the Hokage, and probably more than any two ninja in this village combined. That chakra is what gives you that absurd stamina – but in turn, it leaves you with a critical weakness."_

_Naruto looked confused. "How could having more chakra be bad?" _

"_Basically, because you didn't come by that chakra normally – your reserves have been strained all your life supporting that seal, and apparently it's been doing so by drawing little bits of… the fuzzball's… own energy out of him and pooling it into your own." Naruto's face grew horrified._

"_Wait, so the Kyuubi's… energy… is inside of me? It's going into me? Am I turning into a -"_

"_No! From what I observed of your seal, and what the Hokage had to say of it, it's acting entirely as intended – the demon's chakra is turning into your chakra, and in the process accelerating the growth of your chakra reserves. The problem is that this growth hasn't been matched by you practicing control over such large reserves, and because the demon's chakra – what you called 'wild energy,' is breaking your control when it enters your techniques." Naruto was frowning, and Kakashi could tell he had a question. _

_Once Kakashi motioned at him to speak, Naruto asked, "But, Sensei, how come I can do the transformation and replacement all right? And what about the clones and shadow clones?" Kakashi thought carefully._

"_Well, I don't know about the transformation – since that's a layered technique you use on yourself, maybe your chakra keeps it stable. In turn, the replacement is a single, swift action, which I suppose would be less likely to break apart due to the demon's interference than a steady technique. The clones are more like replacement, though, so I have a theory. Try the basic clone technique, but make as many of them as you feel like – not too many, but don't worry about limiting yourself to one or two." Naruto nodded and formed the relevant hand seal._

"_**Bunshin no Jutsu!**__" Nearly forty clones appeared in a pop, none shedding shadows and occasionally phasing through one another. Naruto stared, and Kakashi nodded._

"_Yup. As I thought, the problem with the basic clones is that you just can't make a few – your control isn't good enough to work in such small amounts of chakra." Naruto sighed._

"_Oh, so that's why… during the bell test I tried to summon just one shadow clone, but got two." Kakashi's eyes widened._

"_The problem's worse than I thought if even shadow clones are victim to it." Naruto bit his lip, a confused but hopeful look in his eye._

"_So, what are we going to do? Is there a cure?"_

"_Not quite a cure, but there's a specific type of training shinobi perform that will be doubly useful for your purposes. Chakra control exercises, in specific – exercises meant to help you feel how your chakra flows and control the amount and direction of that flow. These exercises, like the leaf exercise you were doing a couple days ago, are helpful to ninja like me and your teammates because they help us settle on the correct amount of chakra for a given technique or for an attack. However, for you," Kakashi leaned down and spoke conspiratorially, "I think such exercises could do even more."_

_Naruto listened attentively. "You see, with chakra reserves the size of yours, chakra control exercises as a general rule are a given – you'll NEED to perform such exercises to get that amount of chakra under control. But more than that, I think you can use such exercises to control that 'wild energy' as well." _

_Kakashi now picked up a leaf from the ground. "When you're using the leaf exercise, you're learning to regulate the amount of chakra a given technique needs – and where you want it to go. However, as Sakura pointed out, the method we were using to bypass your 'wild energy' uses more chakra than the original technique. Thus, try this. Whenever practicing the leaf exercise, do what I said, but try to use as little extra energy as possible. In fact, if you can, try to recycle the energy you used in the original tendril again. Over time, try to feel what the wild energy itself feels like – and force it away from your techniques, so it doesn't affect you."_

_Naruto grinned and hopped up from where he'd been sitting. "OK, Sensei! Next time, I'll do that for sure!" But Kakashi's eyes widened._

"_Oh, right! One other thing, Naruto. What do you know about the shadow clone technique?" Naruto quirked an eyebrow._

"_Uh… It makes solid clones, and I guess because it uses more chakra I can do it easier?" Kakashi nodded._

"_Right; good deduction. You're putting what I'm teaching to use already. But there's an additional trait of shadow clones that's the other main reason they're banned – summon one now."_

"_**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**__" Three clones appeared and Naruto sighed wryly. Kakashi leaned over to one and whispered something before smashing it over the head. Naruto flinched, and then narrowed his eyes._

"_That doesn't even make any sense? What the heck is a 'train' anyways?!" Kakashi smiled. _

"_How did you know what I said?"_

"_Because you told my… oh…" Naruto's eyes widened, and Kakashi grinned._

"_Yup. What they have learned, you learn when the clone is dispelled. Their minds are fully formed and capable of learning – and while short-lived, they reintegrate with you afterwards. Thus…"_

"_I could learn all sorts of things all at once! I could have them practice taijutsu, and the leaf exercise, and techniques, and exercise, and -" Kakashi cut him off._

"_Whoa, whoa, Naruto! Slow down – there are several guidelines you need to know. First, the clones only transfer their MEMORIES – so no, you couldn't have them exercise for you. Second, while you could think of them as transferring the mental half of chakra, they don't transfer the physical half, so while any individual clone could help you understand your chakra marginally better, it'd all be one-sided, and without you practicing on your own to understand the physical side, it wouldn't do you any good." Naruto still looked excited, and Kakashi continued._

"_Furthermore, if you have the clones using too much chakra, they'll be dispelled, and their chakra systems aren't fully-formed, so the amount of chakra they can use isn't actually as much as the amount they have. You could have them practice taijutsu forms to send you their memories, but it wouldn't be "muscle memory" – it wouldn't be the right kind of practice, and wouldn't help much. You could certainly have them spar to analyze your own fighting from different angles, but that would, again, dispel them pretty quickly, if they hit each other with any kind of force."_

"_Finally, no, you can't just make a hundred clones and have them working away at everything – remember that those memories come back to your head, and no matter how resilient your healing ability makes you, I have significant doubts that applies to your mind. Tell me, Naruto – what happens to a bag when you fill it with too much stuff?"_

"… _It breaks?"_

"_Right. If you stuff too many memories into your head all at once, you'll be struck with a condition typically known as "clone-shock." It's happened before, though not with shadow clones. You need to be careful. Start with just three or four clones, and perhaps work your way up. I have no doubt you'll be able to have twenty or thirty working eventually, but for now, don't go overboard."_

_Naruto still looked uncertain. "But, Sensei, you shot down pretty much all of my ideas… what training could I even do with those clones?" Kakashi smiled again._

"_Well, though I said chakra control training wasn't AS effective with clones, it doesn't mean you can't do at least some training with them! The same with taijutsu styles – getting the memories of doing the moves can still help you. Once I teach you some other techniques, practicing them will be much like chakra control – useful, but not as much as doing it yourself. And there is one thing that you can do where clones are just as efficient as you…" Naruto's eyes widened. "Reading!" Naruto's face fell._

"_Reading? What the heck kind of -" Kakashi flicked a pebble at him._

"_You'd do well to read as much as you can and on as wide a range of subjects as possible. You never know when some kind of knowledge might be important. Knowledge could save your life, or your teammates – and no Hokage could ever be a dullard." Naruto took this in slowly, and Kakashi hoped he'd gotten through to the boy._

"_So… you're saying the Yondaime read a lot?" Kakashi rolled his eyes… Of course._

"_Yes, Naruto. The Yondaime read a lot. In fact, Minato-sensei read constantly at home, and even on missions he brought scrolls and books -"_

"_Wait, you were taught by the Yondaime?!"_

_Had Kakashi not mentioned that?_

* * *

Afterwards, Naruto had done everything he could to listen to Kakashi's every word while training. Well, not quite immediately afterwards. The very next morning, Naruto, deciding Kakashi had been a worry-wart, had summoned several dozen clones to train in taijutsu, chakra-control, and to raid the library – the horrifying headache that night, which had driven away practically every memory the clones had left him with, had convinced Naruto to never act so recklessly with his clones again.

Since then Naruto had carefully spaced out only as many clones as he could handle, setting some to train his chakra control using every method Kakashi had shown them, others to move slowly through taijutsu forms while still others watched them and offered critiques, and a select few were sent to the Konoha Shinobi Library to read through whatever they could find there that might conceivably be useful.

While Naruto himself sometimes had trouble absorbing the information his clones left him with, he was certainly better-read than he had been before Kakashi's training – particularly because he'd assigned one clone for a whole month to improve his abysmal calligraphy, at Kakashi's suggestion. This alone had made notes-taking easier, and in turn had helped him absorb the information his clones read through better.

However, Kakashi had not stopped merely at correcting Naruto's chakra – he had followed through on his other promise as well.

* * *

_A few days after what Naruto liked to refer to as the "Great Clone Catastrophe," Kakashi had approached Naruto. Sakura was practicing some kind of earth technique near the other side of the clearing, while Sasuke was involving himself in some kind of fire-spitting technique by the stream._

"_All right, Naruto – now that you've had a few days to work on your chakra control and all, let's figure out a taijutsu style for you, hmm?" Naruto had just about exploded with excitement._

"_You mean it sensei? You'll teach me an awesome new taijutsu style, just… like that?" Kakashi had almost seemed injured at the thought that he might want something in return._

"_Hah, Naruto, I'm your teacher – it's my job to teach you. Not to mention how good a ninja you are will reflect on me, after all. So long as you try your best, I won't need anything else." Naruto nodded, his eyes suspiciously shiny. Kakashi pulled a scroll out of his vest._

"_Now, I dropped by the Archives last night and looked through several taijutsu scrolls to see what might fit you. I've come up with three that I think would be useful to you both now and later, when you grow. They're all styles that require a fair amount of strength and speed, but are also aggressive in nature – you can afford to be, since your healing factor will keep you ahead of any minor injuries. The first is one we stole from Hidden Stone during the last war – the Avalanche Style. As its name might suggest, it involves waiting until the right moment, then hurling yourself at your foe like, well…"_

"_An avalanche?"_

"_No, a rockslide. But yes, the point is to break through all your opponent's defenses at their weakest point and crush them before they can recover. Does that sound like something that would work for you?" Naruto thought about it. The idea of rushing his enemies and destroying them all at once sounded cool, but he didn't like the waiting part – Naruto was a man of action, and more importantly, he realized his own impatience._

"_Maybe. What are the other ones?"_

"_The next is a classic old leaf style, the Iron Fist. It's not totally ideal, since it involves somewhat more muscle mass than your body type would show, but I'm sure with hard work you could build up the strength – or use chakra to make up the difference. The style is fairly balanced between offense and defense, but the idea is to pound your enemy down with a series of strong attacks. What do you think?" Naruto liked this style much better – it seemed like a good balance, and would let him beat down his enemies – not to mention it had a cool name. But he decided to remain open-minded._

"_I like it. What about the last one?" Kakashi smiled now._

"_The last one is one I'm more personally familiar with – the Thunder God style. It involves moving into your enemy at high speed to land a series of devastating blows, often with short range techniques or weapons, before clearing away to either strike again from another angle or to attack another opponent. What do -"_

"_That one." Naruto didn't know why he felt so resolute, but the final style Kakashi had mentioned felt right in a way nothing else ever had. He could see himself, flashing towards an enemy faster than they could react, striking, and retreating before they could even respond. Then, from behind, to the sides… Naruto felt his heart soar. Kakashi had a strange look on his face and brushed at something in his eye._

"_So be it. I'll get you that scroll and we'll get you started."_

* * *

Since then, Naruto had trained relentlessly to use the Thunder God style effectively. He'd had to learn to move faster and faster, and Kakashi had set him to doing sprints with heavy, ungainly weights attached to his legs. Kakashi had mentioned trying to attach the weights full-time, but as it turned out Naruto had a tendency to unconsciously focus enough chakra to his legs to ignore the weights if they were there too often. Thus, Kakashi had stuck to using particularly heavy sets just for specific instances of speed training.

It was a form of the Thunder God style Naruto was using even as he awaited Kakashi's arrival that morning – though on the side of a tree. He had four copies of himself somewhere in the woods carefully sparring with the Thunder God style themselves, along with another six running up and down trees. Two were working on the techniques Kakashi had taught him, trying to flow through the hand seals faster and to focus the amount of chakra they needed. Finally, three more were at the Shinobi Library. He was vaguely aware that they were reading through histories of the Second Shinobi World War.

Naruto himself would normally have tied the enormous weights Kakashi had left for him to his legs and began sprinting and leaping about, but the previous day, Kakashi had informed Naruto and his teammates that they'd be performing their first mission the following day – and thus not to wear themselves out or do anything too strenuous. Admittedly, Naruto had still attended his early morning session with the other sensei Kakashi had introduced him to – after all, one always needed their daily dose of Gai…

* * *

_About a week after introducing Naruto to the Thunder God style, Kakashi had appeared in his apartment early in the morning. Naruto had refused to get up, since the sun wasn't even all the way up – but Kakashi had insisted, in the form of dragging Naruto out of bed and submerging his head in a sink full of ice water._

_Naruto had never needed motivation to get up again._

_Kakashi had dragged a still-groggy Naruto to Training Ground 27, about a mile away from the one Team 7 usually inhabited. There, Naruto was stunned awake by the two individuals awaiting them._

_The older wore a set of green shinobi tights made of some kind of material that actually clung to the enormously powerful muscles of his body. Naruto didn't know whether green tights were regulation, but didn't want to look any longer than he had to in any case – the man wore a jounin vest over the tights, a red belt of some sort, bandages at his wrists, and terrible, clashing orange leg-warmers. Worse of all were the huge, thick eyebrows that crowned his gorilla-like visage and the thick, shining bowl cut sitting atop his head._

_Almost as bizarre was the boy standing next to him, who wore an identical set of tights, belt, bandages, and leg warmers, and the same haircut and eyebrows to boot. The boy had paler skin and much larger, nearly-round, bulging eyes, but otherwise was almost a clone of the other man, who might have been his father or uncle or merely his teacher._

_The other jounin's voice boomed over the training ground as Kakashi and Naruto approached. "Kakashi-san! Welcome, my esteemed and honored rival, to this, our dojo – I see you have brought the young man we discussed last night! Greetings, Uzumaki-san! I am the Great Azure Beast of Konoha, Elite Jounin Maito Gai!" Naruto could hear the Capital Letters in Gai's voice, and twitched slightly. Whatever he was now, it wasn't sleepy – more like traumatized, possibly by the eyebrows confronting him. The younger boy stepped forward._

"_And I am his cute student, Konoha's Green Beast Rock Lee!" The two had struck identical poses that left Naruto frozen somewhere between shock and horror. He managed to muster the manners not to scream and run, but stepped back slightly before Kakashi's firm grip stilled him._

"_Hey Gai. Yup, this is my student, Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto managed a wave._

"_Aha! A student of my eternal rival! Do you know why you have been brought here to the realm of the Beasts of Konoha?" Naruto shook his head. "Kakashi-san has informed me that you have begun to learn a new taijutsu style, and that you require a partner to spar against! As it turns out, my student here, Lee, also requires a student to train against, since he aims to defeat his own teammate and eternal rival, Neji, in a future match! Kakashi-san and I have agreed that this is an excellent reason to make common cause – an honorable partnership for Lee and you to practice together and pit your powers of youth against one another!"_

_Naruto translated that – Kakashi had found this loony and his student so Naruto could have someone to spar with. Naruto lowered himself immediately into the starting position of the Thunder God style, with one hand in front of him and the other at his hip. "All right then, mini-Gai, let's get going then!" _

_Lee stepped forward settling into a stance of his own. "Yosh! Let us begin our honorable match then, Naruto-kun!" Kakashi hopped back and the silence held for a moment before both genin exploded into action. Naruto had moved in first, using his style's primary advantage – speed. However, if anything Lee was even faster, his hands moving up to quickly deflect and block the punches and elbow strikes Naruto sent at him. Naruto immediately realized that whatever Gai and Lee might seem to be, they were spectacularly skilled at taijutsu – or at least Lee was. He assumed the teacher was as well, as Gai looked on proudly. Naruto could see Kakashi still watching, and felt a fierce fire burn within him – he couldn't get beaten in front of Kakashi-sensei! He had to prove that his teacher's efforts were worth something!_

_Naruto hopped back – knowing that it was a simple taijutsu spar, he didn't go for his weapons or a technique, but instead hopped to the side, rolled low, and pushed off from the ground once more to strike under Lee's guard. Lee was already in position again, stopping Naruto's first two quick blows before landing an enormously powerful kick against Naruto's arm, sending him spinning away to crash into the ground._

'_Holy shit, is this guy made of bricks?' Naruto was amazed at the force Lee had projected into a single blow, leaving Naruto wobbly and off-balance. Lee moved in after Naruto with a pair of quick punches that the blonde leaned away from, and then blocked Naruto's countering attacks. The two continued to engage for several seconds before Naruto pushed away again. Swiveling around, Naruto launched himself forward again, but Lee met his charge, blunting the force of his kick – even though his foot embedded itself in Lee's abdomen, all Naruto could feel was the other boy's steely muscles – Lee seemed unaffected, and with another spinning kick sent Naruto wheeling away._

"_Enough!" Gai roared, even as Naruto barely landed on his feet, stumbling slightly. Lee froze in place and lowered his foot – his smile had barely changed. Naruto wondered what kind of incredible taijutsu beasts these two had to be, that Lee could practically ignore and avoid his best assaults. A feverish burn coursed through his skin – he had to get to their level! Gai smiled and stepped forward._

"_I have seen what I wished. Naruto! You work hard and fight excellently – and as Kakashi-san has told me, would be an ideal partner for Lee. He tells me you began learning your new style only a week ago?" Naruto nodded. "Excellent! Your powers of youth shine through, showing the diligence and effort that drive the greatest of ninja! You will join us here three mornings per week to exercise with Lee and I, and to spar – I shall aid you with your taijutsu, young Naruto, and never fear, for the Azure Beast of Konoha will be with you!" Gai struck another pose, and Lee, bizarrely, teared up._

"_Gai-sensei!" Gai turned to Lee, his own eyes full of tears._

"_Lee!"_

"_Gai-sensei!" Naruto stared at the two, transfixed, as they embraced, a strange tableau of the rising sun behind them. Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder._

"_We'd best go. Don't want you dressing in spandex, now do we?" Kakashi grinned, and the two couldn't escape fast enough. As they walked, Naruto shook his head._

"_I thought I'd been working so hard, but man! Lee just blew me out of the water! I didn't even come close!" Kakashi sympathetically shrugged._

"_It's not your fault, Naruto. Gai and Lee are focused in Taijutsu almost to the point of exclusivity – actually exclusively in Lee's case – his chakra coils don't function correctly, so he can't actually use ninjutsu or genjutsu, and he can't reinforce his body with chakra either." Naruto stared, shocked._

"_Wait, that was all unaugmented strength? Just pure muscle power?!" Kakashi nodded._

"_As you can see, that sort of obsessive, single-minded training can work wonders – despite his horrible handicap, Lee is still one of the strongest genin of his year now – on the back of his taijutsu alone." Naruto shook his head, marveling._

"_Besides, Naruto, Lee is a year ahead of you – if you look at yourself a year from now, I promise you that you'll have the same strength – and you won't even recognize yourself." Naruto grinned._

"_Yosh, sensei!" Kakashi shivered._

"_Just don't do that again."_

* * *

Despite their strange meeting, Naruto had returned to Training Ground 27 three times per week faithfully, and had rapidly grown to enjoy his time there. Gai and Lee might have been totally insane, but they were masters of their art, and with a drive like Naruto's, to be the very best he could be, he fit in just fine. Naruto had taken more than two months to get to the point where he could even land a reasonable blow on Lee, and even still he had trouble catching up to the other boy – but Naruto could admit freely that Lee was a better taijutsu fighter than he was.

Naruto had spent that very morning with the pair, in fact, though it had been an exercise day rather than a sparring day, focused on speed. Both Naruto and Lee put a premium on speed, Naruto because it was an important root of his style and Lee because it was his best defense against ninjutsu that he couldn't counter. Lee wore a set of heavy weights (how heavy, Naruto was unsure) that slowed him, and Naruto could almost keep up with him while Lee wore them, even without enhancing his speed with chakra. Enhanced, Naruto easily moved faster – but when Lee dropped his weights, Naruto could barely even defend himself, even enhanced.

Nonetheless, Naruto was glad that Lee was on their side in the end. He sighed as he finished another form – a form Gai had helped him perfect. Rotating his shoulders, he looked across the field to Sakura, wondering what she was doing as she knelt quietly near the bridge. Probably something to do with her recent medical training, he supposed – she had used that training the previous night; hopefully she wasn't angry at him or Sasuke for having to have done so.

* * *

Sakura, in fact, was focusing carefully, feeling her chakra rising to the surface of her hand, and wasn't even thinking about the previous night.

'_All right, now to commit to the transfer_…' As the chakra began to expel, Sakura allowed it to twist, flickering with a green light that signified its nature as medical chakra – healing energy that could seal wounds and regenerate damage. The ability to generate medical chakra had not come easily, even to Sakura with her excellent chakra control – and the path to how she'd even begun her training in the medical field was a source of some shame.

While Naruto and Sasuke had worked themselves ragged from the very beginning of their training, Sakura had often done the minimum possible, resting whenever tired and watching the other members of her team instead of committing herself further to her advancement as a ninja. Finally, Kakashi had snapped.

* * *

"_Sensei, where are we going?" Sakura panted as she hurried after Kakashi, who was walking quickly with an impatient stride._

"_I told you. You'll know when we arrive." Kakashi said nothing else and Sakura felt the cold touch of her teacher's annoyance. She didn't think she'd been SO bad. During a sparring practice, she'd gotten tired and had just sat down; asking Sasuke to take her place against Naruto, and Kakashi had stood and told the two boys to get to work on other things. He'd then taken Sakura's arm and led her from the field._

_He'd said barely anything since._

_Sakura recognized where they were as Kakashi slowed – they'd returned to the village, where they were approaching a small, well-kept house. Kakashi stepped up to the front door and knocked. An attractive black-haired woman opened the door._

"_Kakashi-san? Is something the matter?" The woman seemed confused, and Kakashi nodded sharply._

"_Hello Kurenai-san; I'm sorry for disturbing you on your day off. Do you remember the student I had mentioned to you a few days ago at the Jounin lounge?" Kurenai seemed to think for a moment, and then nodded before fixing a frown at Sakura._

"_I understand. Leave her with me, and I'll speak to her." Kakashi shrugged and left Sakura standing on the doorstep feeling incredibly awkward. Kurenai beckoned her inside and shut the door. Sakura fidgeted silently. As Kurenai returned with two cups of tea, Sakura remembered that the older woman was the sensei to another of the new genin squads._

"_I'm sorry for being a bother, Kurenai-sensei…" Kurenai shook her head. _

"_No, Sakura-san. Please, sit." Sakura did, taking the cup of tea she was offered. It was good – sweet and scented of something like jasmine. Kurenai sat across from her and crossed her legs._

"_Do you know why your teacher brought you here?" Sakura shook her head._

"_Sakura-san, Kakashi-san informed me a few days ago that he was having trouble with one of his students. He said that you were being disruptive, weren't paying attention to his lessons, and that you were letting childish behavior cloud your progress." Sakura's cheeks were stained with an angry blush._

"_What? I… I didn't do anything like that! I work as hard as I can, and I pay attention!" Kurenai simply sipped her tea._

"_Why would Kakashi-san say something like that, then?" Sakura stopped to think._

"_I… I mean, I get tired pretty easily, and I sit down to rest… But it's not because I'm not paying attention!" Kurenai seemed to think for a moment._

"_Tell me, Sakura-san – your teammates. What do they do when they get tired?" Sakura almost gave an unladylike snort. Naruto never got tired, the very thought was absurd. And Sasuke was so driven – he worked until he was ragged, until Kakashi nearly had to force him to stop._

"_Well, they keep going, I guess, but Sasuke-kun is different! And Naruto has a bloodline, so he doesn't count." Kurenai raised an eyebrow._

"_And how is Sasuke-san 'different?'" _

"_Because… well, he's Sasuke-kun! He's special; he has that drive, that purpose. I'm not like that – nobody is!" Kurenai set her tea down._

"_Tell me, Sakura, why can't you have a drive – a purpose?" Sakura was confused._

"_Because, well… I don't have that, I guess?" Kurenai shrugged._

"_I'm certain most people have to work to find a purpose – not everyone has one thrust upon them. I wish to be the greatest genjutsu artist in Konoha, for example – and have worked exceedingly hard towards that goal. Why couldn't you find a goal to pursue?" Sakura shook her head._

"_But I'm just… Well, I'm not like Naruto and Sasuke-kun…" She didn't say it out loud, but what went unsaid seemed to make Kurenai, if anything, colder._

"_I see. You don't have the capacity? You are unfit?"_

"_No, I didn't -"_

"_Then you had best quit now, shouldn't you? There is no reason for you to be a weakling who wastes her team's time. If you obsess over your weaknesses and refuse to improve yourself, you are a hindrance. And worse, you are a stain on kunoichi throughout Konoha." Sakura felt tears coming on, but bit her lip._

"_No, but that's not... I mean, Kakashi-sensei said that I shouldn't think about Sasuke-kun like that, but… I…" She had a hard time saying anything that made sense in her own head. Kurenai's words were clear and sensible, and she was undeniably beautiful. Yet Sakura could see the supple muscles and confidence borne of long practice in the other woman that she'd once wanted for herself. Where had she lost that drive? Kurenai's eyes softened slightly._

"_Sakura-san, this matter with Sasuke-san. Has he ever… spoken to you? In any way other than as a teammate?" Sakura slowly shook her head, some of the tears falling before she could stop them, even though she hardly felt sad. Nor did she feel scared. She felt… somehow clear. Clear like the purpose she could feel in Kurenai's voice – she wanted to be like the jounin, strong enough to believe in herself._

"_Sakura-san, here is my advice. Decide who you are before you begin to worry about romance. You should find yourself and your place both on your team and in Konoha, so you can stand tall and decide what you really want." Kurenai smiled as Sakura felt her own lips curve._

"_Another cup of tea, then? Why don't you tell me about how Kakashi is training you."_

* * *

Kurenai might not have really been her teacher – almost more of a therapist, Sakura considered, but she had done more than any single other person to help Sakura feel more herself. She'd begun by wondering why she had set aside her childhood dreams of self-sufficiency and strength, and had looked to Naruto's and Sasuke's drive and ambitions. She'd decided on her own that while she wanted to help them with their ambitions, she wanted to do it on her own merit, not as just some cheerleader – and she felt better than she ever had before because of it.

Kakashi had seen the difference in her attitude even the very next day, as she hurled herself into the brutal fitness program he had constructed for her, panting and near-collapse but unwilling to give up. Kakashi had rewarded her with a real smile, and, cruel bastard that he was had ordered her through the course again.

Nonetheless, the results, both of Kurenai's words and of Kakashi's training, were clear. Sakura could feel the tense, hardy muscle under her skin that made her feel invincible, and with hardly a thought could send chakra coursing through to protect her or amplify her strikes. She was no Tsunade, but in a spar she had sent Naruto toppling with a vicious blow that had dislocated his jaw - and once his healing factor had set him back to rights; it had been Naruto laughing loudest over the event afterwards.

Sakura had made her way to Kurenai's home on three occasions since the first time to discuss problems with the older woman what she couldn't talk to Kakashi or her teammates about, and had on her second visit run into Kurenai's own student Hinata. It had been Hinata's own suggestion that had led to Sakura's turn towards the medical path.

* * *

_One morning, a little over two weeks after Sakura's first meeting with Kurenai, Sakura looked contemplative as she sparred with Kakashi. Kakashi didn't hold back on his blows, and a particularly hefty strike pierced her defenses and sent her to the ground. Kakashi frowned as he looked down at her._

"_Sakura, is something the matter? You've been… distracted all day." Sakura looked up, stealing half a glance at Sasuke as she did – she'd been trying to wean herself of any romantic notions regarding her impassive teammate, but it was slow going._

"_Nothing really, Sensei. Just… I was wondering if I should work on some sort of specialty?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow and squatted. Sakura sat up._

"_I mean, Naruto and Sasuke have their bloodlines – Naruto is an absolute monster both in-close with that new style of his and at a range with that wind technique he's been practicing." She gestured at her blonde teammate, who was standing near the stream, firing large bullets of spinning chakra-laced wind from his mouth. "And Sasuke-k- Sasuke may not have the Sharingan yet, but he knows even more techniques than when we started, and he's learning to use his family's style and all…" Sasuke was near the treeline, focusing electric chakra around himself in some kind of field Sakura could see flashing around him. Kakashi nodded slowly._

"_And you're worried that with just Academy taijutsu and your Earth techniques, you'll be left behind." Sakura nodded._

"_Yes. I mean, even with the training, I still have way less chakra than either of them and even limited Earth techniques use a lot of chakra… I feel like I should try to bridge that gap some other way. I have perfect chakra control, even you said so; is there something I could do with that?" Kakashi stroked his chin and Sakura waited patiently._

"_Well… the most control-intensive fields I know of are genjutsu and medical jutsu. Genjutsu I could get you started on, but medical techniques I can barely even use the most basic of. It requires special training and intense study." Sakura thought for a moment._

"_When I visited Kurenai-sensei yesterday, I met Hyuuga Hinata-san, her student. Hinata-san mentioned that she was thinking of taking part in the hospital's genin medical training program this year – perhaps I should too? The entry exam is in a little more than a week…" Kakashi looked down at her, and smiled._

"_Why medicine over genjutsu? You seem to admire Kurenai quite a lot." Sakura shook her head._

"_That's true, but genjutsu just aren't as useful for our team's purposes. Naruto's chakra is so huge it's hard to anchor anything but the most powerful genjutsu to him, and hurting himself to get out of one isn't really a negative to him. Sasuke's Sharingan will make him immune anyways, and one of the most important purposes of a genjutsu specialist is to break enemy illusions. On the other hand, while Naruto is sort of a non-issue with regards to minor injuries, he takes a while to heal anything bigger. Sasuke and you could get hurt too – so having a medic along, I think, would be really useful." As Sakura finished, she saw Kakashi's proud smile as he patted her on the shoulder._

"_Very good, Sakura, and agreed. I believe it would be most helpful to the team for you to join the hospital's medical volunteer program – I'll write you a recommendation." His eye glinted and Sakura realized with a twinge of pain what was coming next._

"_You realize that with the time you'll be spending at the hospital, you might not have as much time for physical training, yes? I suppose that means we'll just have to increase the intensity, won't we…"_

* * *

Kakashi had done exactly that, and it was something of a marvel Sakura had managed the time to prepare for the entry exam. She'd passed, of course, especially with Kakashi's recommendation, and had been ordered to arrive two days later in her uniform blues with a white apron she'd been given with a red leaf symbol.

Konoha's Hospital, a large modern structure most recently refurbished just after the Third War, had a clean, sterile smell about it, and Sakura made her way there four days a week for training and time volunteering with patients. She'd been glad to run into Hinata, who was the other genin trainee assigned to their instructor. She had been working with the other girl since then, and was rather surprised that they hadn't been closer at the Academy.

The other individual she'd met was her instructor, another genin who'd been working at the hospital far longer. Friendly and helpful, Yakushi Kabuto was another new comrade Sakura was glad to have.

* * *

"_Hinata-san! It's great to see you again – I see you made it!" Sakura was delighted when she walked into the room to find the pretty Hyuuga girl waiting inside. Hinata's dark blue hair had grown very slightly since their time in the Academy, but her pupil-less lavender eyes and shy smile were all the same. Hinata smiled back._

"_I-it's good to see you as well, Sakura-san. I'm g-glad you and I are trainees together. It will be good to work with a friend." Hinata's stutter, Sakura noted, had gotten better since the academy. Perhaps Kurenai had helped her confidence the same way she'd managed to inspire Sakura's own. Sakura smiled, and the two girls chatted about their teams as they waited, having arrived early._

"_How is N-naruto-kun? Is he d-doing well?" Sakura's smile turned shark-like at that, remembering Hinata's unmistakable crush. She decided not to tease the other girl – too badly._

"_Naruto's doing fine – Kakashi-sensei has him working his butt off – exercises, sprinting, everything. We're making him eat things besides ramen too, and he's started to hit a growth spurt, I think. Not by much, but at least he's taller than me now." Sakura enjoyed the deep blush on Hinata's face for a moment before the door opened._

"_Hello, Hyuuga-sama, Haruno-san! My name is Yakushi Kabuto, and I will be your instructor on the basic matters of ninja medicine." Their new instructor was tall, thin, and rather plain-looking besides his long silvery hair and wire-framed glasses. Kabuto had a kind face, Sakura thought, though his remaining a genin at his age probably didn't say much for his skills. Hinata bowed in greeting, and Sakura quickly followed suit. Kabuto grinned as he pulled a checklist out of his bag._

"_I hope you'll excuse me, this is the first time I'll be teaching new trainees – my father is the chief of the hospital, you see, so he was rather strict about what needed to be taught. We'll be covering your first aid training from the Academy today, to fill in any gaps, then moving on to more intensive first aid, trauma work, and anatomy – a lot of the anatomy and physiology will have to be done outside, so I guess there'll be some homework." Kabuto chuckled ruefully, and Sakura shrugged. It was to be expected when one was dealing with matters as weighty as human life._

"_Once we've gotten past those basics, we'll move on to forming medical techniques, running diagnostics, and making patient rounds. Becoming certified as a medical ninja is difficult and will take some time – but I assure you that it's worth it."_

_As Hinata and Sakura readied themselves, pulling out their notebooks and pencils, Kabuto's glasses flashed._

"_Let's get started then."_

* * *

While Kabuto wasn't quite the slave-driver Kakashi was, he still insisted on a high quality of work, and particularly that his students wouldn't be allowed near the patients until they were absolutely ready. They'd taken over a month to cover the theoretical material, becoming acquainted with anatomy, physiology, first aid methods, poisons, and illnesses. Another month had been taken with practical diagnoses, procedures, and learning to form medical chakra. Only in the last two weeks had Hinata and Sakura been allowed to accompany Kabuto on his rounds helping the patients.

Sakura could understand the older boy's hesitation, though – Kabuto wanted to prove himself worthy to his father, and was one of the younger certified medics on staff. He was a very talented medic-nin, and that he was trapped as a genin was, in Sakura's mind, much more indicative of bad luck than anything else.

That said, she knew she would soon begin to learn how to use the medical chakra she could form, and so took every opportunity to try and understand the chakra – calling it up and feeling how it flowed, how it felt when it was converted, and the way it affected damaged tissue. As she let the color flicker across her hand, she heard a loud crackling that caught her notice, and looked up.

Sasuke, across the field, was practicing a lightning technique he must have begun to learn recently. While her lips quirked upward, she didn't feel the rush she once had – Sasuke was a friend, a teammate, and admittedly a very pretty boy, but that was all he was. Though after three months of him and Naruto being her primary social outlets, 'all' wasn't a little bit – Sasuke was as central in her mind as he'd always been – he was just joined by Naruto and Kakashi.

Sasuke, she supposed, must have had one hell of a headache after the previous night, and while she didn't envy him, she also thought he deserved it. Sakura thought through the clinical definition and reasons for a hangover even as she wondered if that was why he was using such a technique even the morning before Team 7's first mission.

* * *

Despite the spectacle of allowing electricity to course over his body, sparking violently and lashing out in visible trails, Sasuke's technique wasn't using much energy at all – instead, it mainly took focus – focus to coat himself in a thin layer of lightning-elemental chakra to attract static from the air, and more importantly focus to maintain the layer using the electricity itself, without having to use up any further chakra.

Sasuke, in fact, was still suffering from a hangover brought on by the previous night, and was taking time while focusing on his static sheathe to glare at Naruto, who somehow had managed to avoid suffering the same fate. Why he'd allowed Naruto to convince him to go out on the night before their first mission was beyond him.

Yet he'd agreed, Sasuke supposed. He was pretty sure it was all Kakashi's fault, as most things seemed to be these days – he sometimes hardly felt like himself – yet couldn't find reason to be upset at that. His transformation had begun early in the training period.

* * *

_Barely a week after the assessment, Kakashi had followed up on his word to Sasuke. While Sakura had been set to working on some kind of stone wall technique and Naruto was blowing up an absurd amount of dust and even grass turf with whatever Kakashi had taught him, Kakashi had taken Sasuke aside, settling into the Intercepting Fist stance himself._

"_All right, Sasuke; here we are. Let's get to work on that style of yours." Sasuke, unused to facing another user of his style, did so as well. Kakashi immediately moved forward to lift his arm slightly and kicked his leg out a tad further._

"_If your position is wider, you'll be more stable – and your arm should be high enough to counter a potential jump attack – like the ones you and Naruto are so fond of." Kakashi smiled and Sasuke could only nod. They began to spar, moving back and forth with attacks and counters. Kakashi kept up a steady stream of criticism and comment._

"_Don't be so aggressive – your stance isn't very good for charging in. Instead, yes, that's it, focus on waiting for my attacks to come in and turn them against me. When I extend, it's a critical moment where, if you can move in past my guard, you have the advantage. Focus on that, on those moments – they're easier to see with the Sharingan, but even without it you can use your instincts." Sasuke slowly felt the counters coming easier and Kakashi had to telegraph his attacks less and less. By the afternoon, Sasuke realized, he was tired and sore – but he had really LEARNED something from someone who wasn't his family._

"_Why?" Sasuke thought he'd only thought the question, but Kakashi raised an eyebrow._

"_Why what, Sasuke?" _

"_Why are you training me? Is this what Jounin-sensei are like?" Sasuke didn't know what he was asking, and felt strange – of course those titled 'sensei' should teach. Why bother asking such a redundant question. Nonetheless, Kakashi seemed unmoved._

"_Yes. But that's not why I'm training you. I'm training you for them," Kakashi gestured at Sakura, sitting and panting on a low rocky ridge of her own creation, and at the dust cloud that obscured Naruto, "just as I'm training them for you."_

_Sasuke didn't know what that meant, and said so. Kakashi smiled._

"_You'll see."_

* * *

Almost meditating in his cocoon of static electricity, Sasuke really thought he did see, now. It was a strange feeling, thinking in terms of 'we' instead of in terms of 'I.' Sakura and Naruto weren't really his 'friends' – Sasuke didn't have friends. They were something else he couldn't quite define other than as "teammates." Sasuke might have thought of them as family, but in his experience that didn't count for much, so instead his two teammates and his sensei fell into a category all of their own.

While Kakashi's coaxing had helped, it was less that and more the help they'd given each other while training that had really cemented the feelings between the teammates. His teammates' willingness to see Sasuke's gains as their own and immediately think of their own successes as ways to help Sasuke had put him in a unique place in his life he wasn't sure how to define.

* * *

_Sasuke fell to the ground again with a vicious thud, and Naruto didn't even have time to crow in laughter before falling himself. Sakura continued to stand on the side of her tree, her knees wobbling and sweat beading at her temples._

_Kakashi had needed to attend a jounin meeting, so rather than just leaving his students to their own devices, the jounin had demonstrated for them a technique that he'd thought would be practical and would shore up one of each teammate's weak points. Standing on the side of the tree, Kakashi spoke._

"_Tree-climbing is difficult both because the soles of the feet are a difficult place to focus chakra to, and because you're fighting gravity. You're creating traction, and practically artificial gravity, with your chakra alone – and don't underestimate how difficult that can be for some people. Naruto, you try it."_

_Naruto approached the tree before him boldly. He'd lost a great deal of his recklessness, but was still the same irrepressible boy, and as he reached the tree he cried out and charged up it. Sasuke had seen the mistake before Naruto fell, as a flash of indigo light near the boy's foot cracked through the bark and sent Naruto falling away from the tree. Naruto managed to turn and roll as he landed with only a slight wince. Kakashi turned to Sasuke._

_Without a word, Sasuke ran at and up the tree, but mentally noted not to apply too much chakra. He took several steps, his heart pounding as he felt his chakra holding him and guiding him up the tree's surface. He felt his energy fluctuating and panicked, withdrawing from his technique and again knowing what was wrong before it happened. Sasuke somersaulted and landed kneeling. Sakura was already moving, and before the boys' shocked eyes she went all the way up the tree. Once there wasn't enough room to run, she grabbed the nearest sturdy branch and seated herself on it._

_Sasuke turned to Kakashi with narrowed eyes. "Did she know this technique already?" Kakashi shook his head._

"_No. Think through it, Sasuke. You're better than that." Sasuke felt the hot taste of envy in his mouth, but it vanished as cool logic overtook it. Why was Sakura so much better at this than he was? And why was he better than Naruto?_

_It came down to chakra, he realized, and saw the same realization dawning on Naruto's face. He spoke up first. "Chakra control. Like the leaf exercise." Kakashi nodded, and Naruto followed up._

"_Sakura has practically perfect chakra control – that's why she's working at the hospital. I have terrible control, which is why I've got clones trying to work on that right now. Sasuke's better than mine, but not as good as Sakura's, right?" Kakashi smiled and nodded again._

"_Excellent. Well, I'll leave you to it – Sakura, since you've got the technique down, why don't you use it to increase your reserves? Instead of sitting on that branch, stand on the side of the tree and watch the other two." Kakashi had vanished then, leaving his students to their work._

_Now, hours later, neither Naruto nor Sasuke had mastered the technique, while Sakura was beginning to look pale. She'd had to take breaks already to recover, and Sasuke foresaw that she'd be taking another soon. Naruto cursed nearby and ran at the tree again, but Sasuke paused and pondered._

_What was he missing? There had to be some sort of trick beyond mere chakra control – Naruto and he had initially improved steadily through their runs, but were now remaining essentially stagnant. Was there something they were missing? It was Naruto, falling again, who spoke out._

"_Hey, Sakura? What are we doing wrong?" Sakura looked over at them, frowning. _

"_Do it again, and let me see." As Sasuke watched, Naruto ran up the tree again – he didn't seem to use too much or too little chakra, but nonetheless slipped just over halfway up. Sakura nodded from her perch._

"_I think you're psyching yourself out. When you get frustrated, your chakra isn't as under your control as you think it is – Kabuto-sensei at the hospital taught me that. Instead of just running at the tree, try putting one foot on it and adjusting until you have the right level of chakra, then do the same with the other foot. It won't be perfect, but if you feel the flow, you'll start to understand how much the exercise actually takes."_

_Sasuke had then watched Naruto follow Sakura's instructions, planting a foot on the tree, then another. Before he knew it, Naruto had surpassed his previous position by several feet, and was almost within an arm's reach of the top. With a whoop, Naruto hopped off and landed carefully. As Naruto turned to him, Sasuke wondered whether the blonde would mock him. Instead, Naruto said something Sasuke hadn't expected at all._

"_Hey, Sasuke! Why don't you try it now, and we can give you some feedback!" A strange warmth in his chest, Sasuke nodded and decided to try his original method, running up the tree. As he fell off, Sakura clapped her hands together._

"_You're having a similar problem to Naruto's – only you're trying to regiment how much chakra gets sent to your feet too carefully, and even as you go you're not actually using enough. Your momentum's making up for it, but you should try just walking up. Not as slowly as Naruto, since that's not your problem – just walk up it normally, like Sensei did."_

_Sasuke did so, and was amazed at how easily it came to him. He had passed even Naruto's mark and was all the way to the top – and he turned and walked all the way down again, a bubble in his chest. He turned to Naruto, not certain whether he was going to brag or smirk, or anything – but instead was shocked to see on Naruto's face a huge smile._

_A real smile. For him. Sasuke didn't know what to do._

_So he smiled back._

* * *

None of their bonding had broken down the final wall between the teammates, though, that kept them aloof from one another, constantly suspecting what the others were thinking. Instead, what had done that had been a series of events several weeks later, which Sasuke remembered as clear as crystal. More than for their sentimental value, Sasuke remembered them clearly because of what had happened, and how the memories had burnt themselves into his skull like film footage – because that's what the Sharingan did.

On the same day that Sasuke had obtained the Sharingan, he had achieved the bond with his teammates that Kakashi had always talked about, that left him thinking of them as often as he did about himself. He still didn't know which one was most important to him, the Sharingan or his teammates. Once, that would have been anathema – but now, he couldn't bring himself to think of it as a bad thing.

* * *

_During a particularly tardy morning for Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke had come up with a bizarre idea for training they'd pitched to Sakura. It had to do with the new techniques each of the two was trying to learn from Kakashi. Sakura was less sanguine about the plan._

"_So let me get this straight, guys. Naruto, you're going to throw a live kunai at Sasuke, and use your replication technique on it in midair. Sasuke, you're going to practice using your lightning attack on the replications as they fly, so you can use it as a sort of defense? Am I hearing this correctly?" Sakura was staring, disbelieving. Naruto nodded enthusiastically._

"_Yeah! I mean, Sasuke's mentioned that the lightning element doesn't really have any defensive maneuvers, right? So what if we figure out a way to use an attack as a defense!" Sakura shook her head._

"_But why do you have to throw the weapons AT him? Why can't he just, I don't know, shoot them out of the air?" Sasuke replied this time._

"_We thought of that, if they're not coming towards me, I won't know if I can hit targets at that profile and angle. Besides, we have a medic-nin with us; how much better a test could it be?" Naruto grinned expectantly and hopped up. Sakura continued to look dubious._

"_I… this is a terrible idea. But I get the feeling you two are going to do it no matter what I say, right?" Sasuke nodded and Sakura grinned wryly._

"_Well, OK. I'll be here to tell you I told you so while I reattach your arms or whatever…"_

_Naruto and Sasuke took positions across the field from one another – they'd performed experiments like this before, so neither was particularly worried. Naruto particularly liked their combined wind-fire attacks. Naruto called out, "Ready?" _

_As Sasuke nodded, Naruto hurled a single kunai and flicked through a few hand seals. "__**Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**__" But just as he completed the technique, he felt just a bit more chakra surge into it than he'd planned – and from the original kunai burst nearly two dozen more. Sasuke's eyes popped wide, and Sakura cried out,_

"_The technique! Sasuke, use your technique!" And Sasuke did, flashing through his own seals, ending with the bird seal._

"_**Raiton: Byakurai no Jutsu!**__" As he pointed his combined pointer fingers, a blast of pale lightning flared out and focused, tearing through several of the chakra daggers flying at him. Sasuke swung the blast low and around, blazing through more, but as he struck the real one, it exploded. Superheated metal shards flew at Sasuke's head, and through the smoke of the dispelled clone knives, Naruto saw Sasuke's terrified eyes._

_Sasuke blinked his eyes awake what could only be minutes later, a cool touch on his forehead and a loud voice calling for him. "Sasuke? Sasuke?! Are you ok?!" As he looked up, he saw Naruto's devastated face and Sakura's serious one. The hand on his forehead, glowing green, was Sakura's. She smiled in relief as he opened his eyes._

"_Ah, good. Naruto, I told you, he just had a bad fall and a couple nicks – and NOW you know why… why you shouldn't…" Sakura trailed off, staring at him. Sasuke sat up, looking curiously at her flabbergasted face._

"_What? What is it?" Naruto was staring now too, though more curiously._

"_Hey, Sasuke, your eyes, they're… uh… red." Sasuke felt his heart pounding as he launched to his feet and ran to the stream. In the cool water, he saw his reflection – graced with red eyes, a single elongated black dot, much like a comma, in either one._

* * *

Sasuke's reaction had been joyful, and so out of character it had dragged the other two along with it, and Kakashi had made motions to dispel a genjutsu when he'd arrived to find the three dancing around like lunatics.

From then on, the three teammates had become each other's closest confidantes – something, Sasuke surmised, about near-death experiences centered on nearly killing each other. He couldn't really be brought to mind too much.

Seeing Kakashi arriving at a distance, he motioned at his teammates, letting his own technique die down. Sakura released the medical chakra around her hand and stood, while Naruto hopped down from the tree he'd been standing on.

Time, he thought, to see what mission Kakashi had dug up for his team.

* * *

As Kakashi finally arrived on the field, whistling, he saw his students up to their various usual activities – Sakura focusing on her medical training, Naruto standing on the side of a tree flowing through his forms, and Sasuke flickering with condensed static electricity. Their silence was comfortable, rather than born of separation, and Kakashi felt a swell of pride – was this what Minato-sensei had felt from watching his team? As his three students approached him, Kakashi realized that he'd created them – he'd forged them from nothing into what stood before him, and he had something to really be proud of.

"Yo!" He cried out as he approached them.

"So who's ready for their first mission…? And why is Sasuke glaring at me?"

* * *

**Technique Library**: Shousen no Jutsu (Miracle Palm Technique): A healing A-ranked ninjutsu which uses chakra to encourage the regeneration and healing of damaged tissues. Highly unstable in its nature, medical chakra requires near-perfect chakra control to use properly, since using too much can deaden tissue and cause temporary or permanent paralysis due to nerve damage.

Kunai/Shuriken/etc. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu ([Object] Shadow Clone Technique): A non-elemental B-ranked ninjutsu which creates clones of the selected object. Though more difficult to use because it requires chakra to be transferred to and create a pattern of an external object, the technique requires less chakra than a true Kage Bunshin, since it does not require the propagation of a sentient mind. Though it is often used on weapons in flight, it is equally effective on other objects, though an object's size limits the technique's effectiveness.

Raiton: Byakurai no Jutsu (White/Pale Lightning Technique): A C-ranked Lightning ninjutsu which creates a blast of pale-colored electrical energy. The high-amperage electricity has a powerfully paralyzing effect on victims, but the true damage is done by exciting the molecules the technique affects into plasma, effectively frying its victim. The technique can be 'held' and remain effective for several seconds by skilled users, increasing its use dramatically.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

I hope nobody was too annoyed with this chapter's style – I thought a montage would be the easiest way to handle three months of essentially nothing but training – seeing the results and understanding the moments leading to them seemed more efficient than a plodding trek through the minutiae of Team 7's day-to-day life. Let me know your thoughts – though I don't think it'll be happening again, I'd be glad to know what you all think!

While the next chapter will actually be taking place along the same timeframe as the flashbacks in this chapter, it'll be in chronological order – told in something of a vignette style, covering Team 7's break time during their months of training. After all, I'm sure you're wondering what the hell happened during that night everyone seems to be talking about!

A couple of replies to selected reviews (and again, thank you very much to everyone who's reviewed):

_theIrishWriter_: Firstly, thank you for the praise and good wishes. I shan't say anything about weapons or summons, but I'll say this – though this was essentially the 'training montage' chapter, the team's training isn't done, by any means. Luckily, though, future training will be in-story, rather than done in this sort of montage-flashback style.

_Poppy Grave Dreams_: Thanks for the praise! Yeah, unfortunately it would be very difficult to make Kakashi a worse teacher than in canon, short of making him actively abusive. In canon, he pretty much just lets his team do whatever, and apparently pays no attention to their growth. In fact, though we don't see the other jounin-sensei with their teams, it seems like all of their techniques and training are from their families, so this may be a systematic problem. Nevertheless, in this story, the sensei will actually act as teachers – not just glorified babysitters.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	4. Chapter 4: Quenching the Steel

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 11, 2014 (Updated September 3)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 4: Quenching the Steel**

_Wherein everyone needs breaks, Naruto plays a game, and Sasuke gets drunk._

* * *

A common thread amongst the teachings of the five great ninja villages is that ninja are weapons, beholden to the will of their commanders, their villages, and their countries. Even Konoha, often thought of as the softest of the villages, holds to this common theme.

Yet amongst all these villages, ninja are still given days off to relax themselves and to tend to their own interests. Whether this is because their commanders fear that without time to rest, their soldiers will snap and descend into a murderous madness; or out of a simpler compassion for their comrades; ninjas, like workers in every other job, have time off.

It is often during these times that ninjas grow the most, as they interact with each other in unexpected ways – and more importantly, in ways unrelated to being ninjas. So it was with Team 7, given one day off per week even during the three months they spent being honed into a singular deadly instrument.

These are their stories.

* * *

_One Week after Kakashi's Assessment_

Naruto's hand reached out to turn off his alarm clock, groping around his bedside table to find the infernal device. Once he'd managed that he padded quietly to his bathroom for a shower, and then to his kitchen. Kakashi had stolen most of his ramen, leaving him with a series of strange leafy vegetables and pre-cooked meats, so Naruto, tired, grabbed something green and something that smelled like it had once been a pig and threw them onto a pan with some eggs. Along with a glass of particularly sour juice, Naruto's breakfast was complete minutes later.

It was only as he scanned the daily newspaper (on Kakashi's orders, he'd been told to at least glance at the headlines) that Naruto saw the date – and realized that it was his day off. Naruto's chewing slowed; he hadn't really contemplated what to do with his day off. He'd relished the idea, of course – Kakashi had worked him and his teammates all week, and it was time to relax! But what to do?

During his days in the Academy, Naruto could be found playing pranks all over the village, stealing into the village bookshop to read boy's magazines or (occasionally) adult magazines, when the shopkeeper couldn't catch him; or hanging around Ichiraku Ramen chatting with Teuchi and Ayame. However, this had all been around the time he spent training – or trying to train, at least. After a week of Kakashi's slave-driving, Naruto had to admit that what he'd done before wasn't training so much as flailing.

Naruto was a ninja now, and if he played pranks it would reflect badly on the ninja corps and more specifically on Kakashi – so that was out. He spent the week with clones reading already, though most of their reading was non-fiction, so perhaps the bookstore was an option – but really, Naruto sighed, he just didn't have a hobby. At least not an appropriate hobby, since pranks, as he'd realized, were off the table.

Naruto finished breakfast and dropped the dishes in his dirty sink, vaguely considering spending the day cleaning his apartment – then ignored the very idea. It was his first day off! He had to enjoy it somehow! Naruto made his way to his closet, where he stared at his clothes. Normally he'd wear his orange jumpsuit – but he'd destroyed that to create the vest he now used with his uniform. He wasn't about to wear his uniform on his day off, so he looked through the other, mostly unused, clothing sitting on the shelves. Eventually he settled on a white tee-shirt and a pair of battered green shorts. Slipping his ninja sandals on and tucking his kunai holster and forehead protector into a pocket, Naruto made his way out the door.

Not even an hour later, Naruto found himself slouching through the residential area on the outskirts of Konoha, terminally bored. He'd wandered through the marketplace, but without any real funds other than what Kakashi sensei had forwarded him as his training stipend, itself discounted for the food his apartment was now stocked with, he couldn't really buy anything even if he'd wanted to. He had made his way to the library, but with his clones' memories flashing through his mind, he'd high-tailed it away. That was NOT a place for his day off.

And so Naruto had found himself where he was now – bored and walking by old houses and clan complexes, each uniquely decorated and in their own styles that predated the village. It was as he walked by the Nara Clan complex (fenced off to prevent their deer from escaping, low-set with highly traditional architecture that mimicked the styles from the capital city, Naruto's mind told him) that he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Naruto! Naruto, over here!" Naruto turned to see Akimichi Chouji hurrying up behind him. Chouji was a heavy-set, friendly boy with rosy cheeks and frizzy brown hair. Naruto vaguely remembered him wearing his forehead protector on some kind of underwear-looking headdress, but luckily he wasn't wearing it now, opting instead for the dark pants, clan shirt, green sweater and white scarf Naruto remembered him usually wearing in the Academy.

Though Naruto and Chouji had never been particularly close, they'd been on cordial terms and Chouji had always treated him well (not to mention that Chouji had often joined him, Shikamaru, and Kiba when they'd decided to play hooky from class). Naruto replied with a wave, "Hey there, Chouji! What brings you around?"

"Not much! It's our day off missions – must be yours too! I was going to visit Shika and see what he was up to!" Naruto nodded and made a split-second decision.

"I guess I could come too, if you wouldn't mind the company. I'm pretty bored, just trying to figure out what to do!" Chouji grinned in reply.

"Sure! I know what you mean – I didn't really know what to do with myself today either – it's sort of strange having the time off when you're getting used to a routine, right?"

The two young ninja chatted about their respective teams and sensei as they entered the Nara complex, passing along the clean, cobbled walkway. Naruto spotted a field where several beautiful deer grazed, and a porch overlooking, where a pair of men with pineapple-shaped ponytails of dark brown sat. He and Chouji approached.

The two men sat on either side of a game board on which were many pieces of two different colors. Arranged in opposing formations Naruto couldn't make anything of, they staying in place until the younger man carefully moved a piece forward. Naruto recognized him as his classmate Nara Shikamaru – with a bland face, slender build, and a patterned grey over-shirt over a mesh shirt and brown pants, the other boy was the very image of lazy boredom. Sitting across from him was a man who looked much like a taller version of Shikamaru, though with a dark goatee, a pair of deep scars across the face, and an older, wiser visage. The older man wore a jounin vest and blue uniform, and Naruto remembered that it wasn't necessarily everyone's time off.

As Naruto watched, the older man countered Shikamaru's move and smirked. "Check," he said in a low, growling voice. Shikamaru stared at the board and groaned.

"Troublesome. Whatever, I resign." The older man stood and nodded to Chouji and Naruto.

"Hello Chouji, Uzumaki-san. I am Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru's father. I'd love to stay, but I have to be going – Shikamaru, don't go ignoring them and staring at the board now." Shikaku turned and left, whistling. Chouji and Naruto approached Shikamaru, who was slouched over the board.

Chouji leaned over to Naruto to whisper, "Shikaku-sama is the Jounin Commander, you know – he's supposed to be the greatest strategic mind in Konoha, the Hokage's auxiliary brain." Naruto nodded and grinned at Shikamaru.

"Hey, Shikamaru! Nice to see you again, huh? What game is that?" He looked at the unfamiliar board, and Shikamaru spared a glance up, an eyebrow rising as he saw Naruto.

"Hey Chouji. Hey Naruto – what're you doing here? Didn't expect to see you for a while…" Naruto quirked his head to the side.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shikamaru just shook his head.

"Never mind. This is "Shougi" – it's a strategy game…" Shikamaru's mouth turned into a small smile. "Want to play?"

Chouji groaned. "Don't encourage him, Naruto. Shika beats everyone – everyone except his dad, that is. He just wants to beat someone to make up for losing." Naruto, though, stared at the board. Strategy, huh? And Shikamaru's dad was the Hokage's extra brain?

"Sure! Let's do this!" Naruto sat down across the board from Shikamaru, who seemed a tad surprised. Chouji shook his head slightly.

"This is gonna be bad…"

Sure enough, the game was brutal. Shikamaru had first had to explain what all the pieces were, and how they moved, which itself was enough to set Naruto's head spinning. The many varieties of pieces, promotion mechanics, concept of 'dropping,' and more left Naruto barely capable of playing the game – yet with Chouji's assistance, a game was had, nonetheless, and Naruto found himself fairly amused by the slow-paced game, especially by the interplay between Chouji and Shikamaru.

"No, no, not that one! Shikamaru definitely left that open so we'd get caught in a trap!"

"Or maybe I made it look like a trap so Naruto wouldn't go there?"

"Oh no…" Though the game moved slowly, Naruto got the feeling that it had been a devastatingly short game based on the looks on Chouji's and Shikamaru's faces. Naruto grinned though – he'd enjoyed it, and thought he now understood how to play.

"Let's go again." The others looked surprised and Chouji spoke up nervously.

"Naruto… are you sure? I mean, most people don't want to play against Shikamaru even once – and that game was…" Naruto smiled.

"Terrible? Yup! But it was fun – and if I did bad the first time, it just means I can't possibly do worse the second time!"

The second game was nearly as bad, but Naruto occasionally spotted tricks Chouji missed, and was able to make some moves on his own. He lost again, of course, but Chouji merely looked resigned rather than shocked when Naruto demanded a third game.

Halfway through the third game, Naruto spotted an open pawn on Shikamaru's side, and smelled a trap. But, he noticed, if he didn't take the pawn, Shikamaru would be able to protect it next turn and advance it, probably all the way to promotion. Allow Shikamaru the promotion, or fall into what was most assuredly a trap.

Or take another option. Naruto took his lance, on the other side of the board, and went on the attack. Shikamaru's eyebrows rose and he sat without moving for several minutes. Chouji, too, stared – and once Shikamaru moved, nearly twenty minutes later, the game ended in a flash. As they reset the board, Shikamaru spoke, frowning.

"Hey, Naruto, why'd you make that move with the lance?" Naruto shrugged.

"I just figured that taking the pawn or moving my rook were both things you'd expected and planned for – but that doing something totally unrelated on the other side of the board might have passed you by. I mean, you had a plan, I thought, so if I could do something you hadn't planned for, maybe I'd have more of a chance." Shikamaru smiled wryly.

"I think this is my line, but… another round, Naruto?" Chouji gaped slightly, but Naruto shook his head.

"Nah; it's getting pretty late, and I need to grab dinner at Ichiraku's stand. Wanna come along?" Shikamaru took one look at Chouji's hopeful face and nodded.

"All right, let's go. But seriously, Naruto, anytime you'd like to play some Shougi – just come on by on our day off. I like your way of thinking."

Naruto studied the earnest, if still bored look on Shikamaru's face and saw the cynical mind behind it – a mind that felt like it had seen everything coming its way, and that was dying for a breath of fresh air. Naruto smiled.

"Don't mind if I do – I'll drop by next week!"

* * *

_Three Weeks after Kakashi's Assessment_

After Sakura's meeting with Kurenai, she had decided that the thing she needed to do most to get serious about her training was to turn Sasuke from some kind of sex symbol in her head into just another teammate, like Naruto or even Kakashi. To that end, Kurenai had suggested "normalizing" him by inviting both Sasuke and Naruto to dinner, where she could see their unaffected behavior.

This went together well with her parents' repeated insistence that she bring her teammates to meet them. Thus, the evening before the team's next day off, she approached the boys as they walked home from their training ground.

"Hey, Naruto, Sasuke… I was wondering if you guys would like to come to my house tomorrow for dinner?" Her teammates looked at her oddly, and she hurriedly continued. "My parents have mentioned that they'd like to meet you, and I thought it could be… I don't know, something like a bonding exercise."

Naruto was the first to grin. "Sure, Sakura-chan! I'd be happy to! Uh, that is, if that works for Sasuke?" Sakura smiled – Naruto had been making as much of an effort as she was to rid himself of his own crush on her – she got the feeling that it was easier for him, for some reason, but didn't worry about it. Not having to deal with Naruto's advances made figuring out her own feelings that much easier.

Sasuke looked uncertain. "I don't know. I haven't… that is, for a long time. Perhaps we should invite Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto snorted.

"Sensei would show up after dinner was already over, and we'd be lucky if the worst he did was read porn at the dinner table. He'd probably set us doing push-ups too." Sakura shrugged.

"We could invite him, though, if you'd prefer, Sasuke?" Sasuke shook his head.

"No, it's fine. Sensei should have time to himself." Sakura realized with a tremor of sympathy that neither Naruto nor Sasuke had ever done something as simple and ordinary as going to a friend's house for dinner – at least not since his family's death, in Sasuke's case. Naruto was masking his fear by acting like it was no big deal, while Sasuke was as skittish as a colt. Sakura tried to smile comfortingly.

"All right then. I'm sure you'll both enjoy it, and my parents will love to have you over. I'll let them know, all right?"

Naruto grinned. "Sure! I'll head over after my game with Shikamaru and Chouji!" Sakura remembered Ino telling her that Naruto had been meeting her teammates to play shougi during their days off. Though Ino had been rather annoyed by it, considering it a meeting of the three laziest members of their graduating class, Sakura had been more positively-minded, happy that Naruto was taking up a thinking activity.

Sasuke nodded as well. "I will be there in the evening. Will 1700 do?" Sakura nodded, and they headed back to the village in relative silence.

The next evening, Sakura found herself dashing about in a panic. Her teammates would arrive at any moment – neither had picked up their sensei's tardy habits, thankfully – and she wasn't anywhere near ready. Rather, she didn't FEEL anywhere near ready. Sakura's mother, Haruno Mebuki, stood in the kitchen with an exasperated look on her face.

"Sakura! What's all the commotion about – the food is ready and the table's been cleaned. Why are you so nervous?" Mebuki had the same green eyes as her daughter and blonde hair, and had dressed up for the occasion with a white dress and pink pants that matched her daughter's and husband's hair. A well-trained chuunin before her retirement, Mebuki ran her household with a stern, if warm hand. She looked to her husband for support as Sakura ignored her reassurance.

"Kizashi! Calm your daughter!" Kizashi had retired to the living room, head buried in the newspaper. This naturally didn't block the view of his heavily-styled dark pink hair, shaped similarly to a cherry blossom. Kizashi looked up with blue eyes, revealing his spectacularly groomed sideburns-and-mustache combination. He'd dressed in a loose blue kimono jacket and green shirt along with dark maroon pants. Settled in his favorite seat, Kizashi was clearly reluctant to get up. Instead he simply called out.

"Sakura, your teammates won't judge you based on whatever imagined problem you're worrying about, and if they do they're no good anyways." Kizashi looked back to his newspaper, but sighing realized that his reading time was over. Having retired from the active jounin lineup, he spent most of his time working at the archives, and didn't regret the decision – still, he missed having free time between missions.

Sakura, in the meanwhile, had stopped fretting openly, but was still worried – she'd heard her mother disparage Naruto as a menace before – would she say anything? Naruto hadn't played any pranks in weeks… Kizashi had never said anything one way or the other, but had never seemed as impressed with Sasuke as most of the other villagers – would his usual bluntness offend Sasuke?

Sakura didn't even know why she was concerning herself, since intellectually she knew it didn't matter. This was just a team dinner, and her teammates weren't going to abandon her because of it no matter how badly it went. She leapt up from her seat as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" She raced to the door and opened it just as Naruto was about to ring again. Naruto had put on his uniform pants and a simple white shirt with a spiral on it - Sakura noted that if Naruto had no other fairly decent pants, she'd need to drag him shopping for casual clothing at some point.

"Hey Sakura-chan! I'm not late, am I?" Sakura smiled slightly. Naruto would be fine – he took things in stride, and his natural buoyancy would connect with her father immediately.

"No, you're right on time. Have you seen Sasuke yet?" Naruto shook his head as he entered. Kizashi was just behind, and extended his hand. Sakura caught just the slightest hint of wariness in his posture, and wondered again what about Naruto put so many people on edge. Maybe he'd played a prank on the Archives.

"Hello, Uzumaki-san. My name is Haruno Kizashi – I am Sakura's father. Why don't you come to the table and sit down? Sakura's told us a lot about you." Naruto's grin, if anything, brightened, and he vigorously shook her father's hand. Sakura found herself relaxing as Naruto's voice filled the air with commentary regarding his game with Shikamaru earlier in the day – apparently he'd lasted a particularly long time, and had surprised the Nara boy – Sakura wondered if this was a particularly rare occasion, or if Shikamaru really was just that good. Mebuki gave Naruto a very strained smile as he entered the dining room.

"Uzumaki-san. I am Haruno Mebuki – Sakura's mother. Please, sit down." Naruto seemed to sense the tension and relieved it all at once with a smile and waved hand.

"Ah… just call me Naruto! I mean, Sakura-chan and I are teammates, right? So we shouldn't be so formal – it'd be awkward!" The blonde's natural magnetism seemed to calm her parents, and Naruto found in Sakura's mother another avid shougi player – Mebuki herself had been born into a distant corner of the Nara clan, and the pair chattered about the clan complex aimlessly.

Several minutes later, as Naruto was describing how a particular fountain Mebuki had once played in had changed, the doorbell rang again and Sakura hurried to the door. Sasuke was wearing the outfit she'd seen him in at the Academy – white shorts and a turtleneck blue shirt with a wide collar and the Uchiha symbol on the back. Sasuke nodded stiffly in greeting as he entered, but seemed to relax slightly at the voices he already heard conversing. Sakura had the sneaking suspicion he'd arrived a tad late to make sure he wouldn't be the first guest present.

"You're late, Sasuke – don't go picking up any of Kakashi-sensei's habits!" Sakura smiled as she led her other teammate into the dining room, where her parents' eyes turned to the new arrival. Kizashi's eyes narrowed very slightly, but Naruto seemed oblivious.

"Hey, Sasuke, you're late! This is Kizashi-san and Mebuki-san – they're Sakura's parents! Mebuki-san was a chuunin and likes shougi, and Kizashi-san works in the Archives!" Sasuke bowed, still stiff.

"Thank you for inviting me to your home, Haruno-san. It is an honor." As Kizashi gravely returned the bow, Naruto scratched at the back of his head.

"Hah, don't be so formal – you'll make me look like I've got no breeding!" Sasuke smirked slightly in reply.

"I didn't think you had any, so it's not a problem." Naruto frowned for a moment before his face erupted into a grin. Sakura was relieved that at least Sasuke was acting civilly, and that Naruto hadn't insulted anyone. Once the plates were set out and the food readied, everyone made their way to the table. Naruto seemed to wrinkle his nose slightly at the leafy vegetables and Kizashi noticed.

"Naruto-san, is something wrong?" Naruto shook his head.

"No, no! It's just that Kakashi-sensei raided my cupboards and replaced most of my ramen with vegetables and stuff." Mebuki nodded sagely.

"That's good – it's important for growing children to have good diets – ramen is good for a little energy, but it won't help you grow." Naruto nodded in response, filling his plate with the steaming meats and vegetables. Kizashi chuckled.

"I understand how Kakashi feels – Sakura here spent the last two years claiming she was on a diet and eating nothing but salads and seafood (he ignored Sakura's exclamation of "Dad!"). Luckily, for the last couple weeks she's been eating properly again, so I've been enjoying the new variety of dishes." Naruto nodded.

"It's probably because of Kakashi-sensei's crazy training. He works us to the bone! I guess if I was just eating ramen, I'd have to eat… a whole lot of it." He finished lamely, not sure what to say. The table lapsed into silence for a moment before Sasuke unexpectedly spoke.

"Kakashi replaced some of my tomatoes with meat." The others looked at him surprised, not expecting this. Sakura replied uncertainly.

"You… like tomatoes?" She looked at his plate, noting that alongside the healthy portions of stewed vegetables and meat was a heap of tomatoes carefully picked from the salad. Sasuke nodded, and Naruto shrugged.

"Tomatoes are pretty nice – better than some of those weird green things Sensei stuffed in my fridge. Mebuki-san, these veggies are way better than when I make them!" Sakura's mother smiled slightly and she could see that regardless of whatever Naruto had done to annoy her parents, they were being won over by the boy's sincere enthusiasm.

Dinner continued with the various participants speaking, and Sakura was surprised at how articulate Naruto was on recent events like the civil war in Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Village, and the rising price of Wave Country oysters. "Naruto, how do you know so much about that stuff? You never used to read about current events in the Academy…"

Naruto shrugged. "Kakashi-sensei told me that when my clones dispel, I get their memories – so if I make a bunch and send them to the library while we're training, I can learn stuff and not be dumb." He went on to explain how his shadow clones worked at Kizashi's request, and the older man was impressed at Naruto's diligence.

"I'll make you a list of some basic reference texts that you may have missed which will catch you up on things the Academy probably didn't teach you – I remember how boring it was myself." Mebuki huffed in annoyance and shoved her husband, and the two descended into the fond bickering Sakura was used to – she was strangely gratified by this, since it signaled that they had accepted Naruto's and Sasuke's presence. She was surprised to see her teammates' confused looks.

After dinner came dessert, during which Sasuke had revealed that he hadn't eaten sweets since his family's demise – Sakura had been horrified, but Naruto declared that it was better to make new memories than worry about old, bad ones. Finally, with Naruto reluctantly pointing out that he had to meet someone named 'Gai' the following morning for taijutsu practice, Sakura's teammates made their way to the door.

"I had fun, Sakura-chan! The food was great, and your parents are really cool! Thanks for inviting us over!" Naruto was cheery and Sakura couldn't help but smile. Sasuke nodded.

"It was an… enjoyable evening." Sakura smiled back, feeling less of a sensation in her stomach than usual. While civil, Sasuke had behaved much as she'd expected – awkwardly and almost shyly. While the mysterious, cool boy she'd known in the Academy was someone who her mind may have fixated on, Kurenai had been right in saying that a better, more realistic view of Sasuke, especially away from his comfort zone, would help cure her of her feelings.

Sakura watched her teammates disappear into the night and closed the door. Her mother waited silently behind her.

"You know, that Naruto boy was less of a… problem than I'd heard. He seemed quite nice, actually, if a little over-exuberant." Kizashi, appearing behind his wife, shook his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about, woman. There' nothing wrong with a boy being energetic – and the other one may have been shy, but he seemed polite enough as well." Mebuki frowned and replied.

"Well of course YOU'D think so; Naruto-san seems as much of a goofball as you…" Sakura left her parents to their bickering again and headed upstairs.

It had been a nice evening. She smiled – she'd have to make sure to repeat it sometime.

* * *

_Seven Weeks after Kakashi's Assessment_

It had been a particularly grueling day on Training Ground 21 – even Naruto had begun to show the effects of fatigue after Kakashi had set him to sprinting around the entire training ground with weights attached to his ankles – with a rather fearsome summoned attack dog chasing him. Not that Naruto had initially shown a problem, easily outlasting the dog – but when Kakashi's first dog had tired, he'd merely summoned another – then another. By the end of the day, even Naruto's absurd stamina had waned.

Sasuke and Sakura had found the day even worse – Sasuke had been thrown into the river and forced to swim all day – with Kakashi sitting on the bridge submerging him with gouts of water every time he'd tried to surface. Every muscle in Sasuke's body ached, and he was dripping wet to boot.

Sakura had been told to stand upside down on a tree limb – after which Kakashi had promptly used an earth technique to crumble the ground beneath into a pit filled with spiders. Though Sakura was fairly certain that the spiders had been illusory, she hadn't been able to spare the chakra to break the illusion – and so had spent the entire day petrified, doing squats on the underside of the branch. Her legs and abdominals were sore, and she could feel the near-empty throbbing of her chakra coils, where just a trickle of energy remained.

The next day was their day off, but Kakashi had decided that Naruto's day off wouldn't start until the sun was up – Sasuke wasn't certain what the other boy had done to deserve Kakashi's ire, or if this was just Kakashi's way of amusing himself. Nonetheless, the jounin's other two students had gratefully stumbled away from the training ground at sundown. While Sasuke's legs felt like jelly, Sakura looked somehow even more exhausted, so he made the decision to help her home.

"Thanks for helping, Sasuke, but I promise I can make it on my own…" Sakura protested, but Sasuke wasn't about to let his teammate fall over. He'd let her walk unassisted most of the way, but as they'd neared Konoha, Sakura had slowed significantly. Sasuke didn't reply, but Sakura continued.

"You know, it's kind of funny… Once I would have given anything for this?" Sasuke knew – oh, he knew. He shuddered as he remembered the hordes of girls who'd surrounded him like hounds baying for a fresh kill.

OK, perhaps Kakashi had a point that Sasuke's inner monologue was slightly disturbed. Perhaps he should get that counselling Kakashi had suggested. Sakura spoke again.

"I mean, we'd all have given anything for it before, but now, it doesn't work up that same fervor." Sasuke spoke at last.

"Why is that?" He was genuinely curious. In the same way he'd started smiling unprompted sometimes, and that Naruto almost never insulted him or flirted with Sakura, Sakura's change was a welcome one for their team's cohesiveness.

Sakura shrugged in reply. "Maybe it had something to do with seeing you collapse after training one too many times – or listening to you and Naruto bicker. It probably helped that you never responded."

Sasuke nodded; that made sense. "You won't relapse if I offer you a compliment, will you? You have grown, and I consider you a worthy teammate." Sakura's eyes grew at this.

"You don't offer compliments often… In fact, I don't think I've ever heard you do it unprompted before." Sasuke shook his head.

"I've told Naruto he fights well, I guess. He puts a lot of effort into that, and it's rather absurd how much he's grown since the Academy. We all have, but him most of all. I can't believe the Academy instructors ignored the benefit his bloodline provided – it's almost criminal." Sakura considered this.

"What's with you and this bloodline talk? I mean – I know you have one and all, but you've mentioned it like it's some kind of… game-changer… before." Sasuke frowned.

It was, he thought. Konoha and Kumogakure, Hidden Cloud Village, were the only two of the Great Shinobi Villages that really saw bloodline abilities as an important part of their villages' make-up. While Kumo typically considered them tools – assets of the village – Konoha instead offered bloodline clans rights and privileges which had attracted others to its banner. Bloodline abilities had made Konoha what it was.

"I just… find the waste of a talent like Naruto's frustrating. He could have been an asset and a good sparring partner in the Academy. I could have measured my growth against another student with the power and drive to excel. Instead…" Sakura nodded, understanding.

"Instead it's taken until now for you to realize how similar you and Naruto actually are." Sasuke's head snapped towards her at that, but he couldn't deny the remark. Instead, he remained silent for the rest of the walk.

* * *

_Nine Weeks after Kakashi's Assessment_

It had been a strange day off for Naruto. He'd made his way to the Nara Complex only to find that Shikamaru was ill and that his mother wouldn't let him infect others – he'd spoken to his friend for a bit and had been given several venison strips by Nara Yoshino, Shikamaru's usually inflexible mother, but had to go without his usual gaming fix for the day. He and Chouji had spent most of the day at an all-you-could-eat barbeque restaurant in the merchant district, but had been evicted once Chouji's vast appetite and Naruto's absurd metabolism had broken every record the restaurant had held.

Now, with little else to do, Naruto had made his way back to the training ground, where he simply watched the water run under the bridge. It really was a beautiful place, and in his opinion the ruts and edges the field had acquired from his team's practice there only made it lovelier – it had a character all of its own that made it like home.

As he sat, he felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck that told him someone was watching him. Who would be watching him here, Naruto wondered – after all, he was in the middle of Konoha, and it had been years since he'd required one of the masked caretakers the Hokage had left him with. Inu-san, the dog-masked warrior who'd been his favorite, hadn't been around since he'd started the Academy.

Naruto stood up slowly and approached the treeline, calling out, "Whoever's there, you'd better come out! I know you're there, and if you don't, I'll have to kick your ass!" A quiet gasp sounded from the woods, and from the brush emerged a figure he hadn't seen since the Academy.

"Hinata! What are you doing here?" He remembered the quiet girl who'd been in his Academy class, and vaguely recalled Sakura mentioning that the two were training together under the same instructor at the hospital. Hinata trembled slightly, and Naruto hoped he hadn't scared her. He grinned comfortingly, but was dismayed to see that she just seemed more nervous, looking slightly away, so that her hair fell over her eyes.

Naruto approached her, waving. "Aha… I didn't mean it that way. It's nice to see you again – so, what brings you around here?" Hinata shrugged slightly.

"I… I w-was just walking through from the t-training ground m-my team usually m-meets at, and thought I heard someone?" Naruto wondered what he'd done that was that loud. Maybe she'd heard him arrive; he hadn't been at the training ground long.

"I didn't mean to bother you, Hinata; I was just going to go back to the village!" Naruto turned to leave, but Hinata spoke up again.

"No! I m-mean, you don't h-have to. Not on my acc-account…" Naruto looked back at the girl for a moment, wondering if she was just saying that to be polite, but he supposed Hinata had always been kind to him, even during the Academy. For all that she stuttered and sometimes fainted randomly, she seemed a good sort.

"Nah, sun's going down anyways. I probably would have headed back soon. Say, you want to walk with, if you're done around here?" To Naruto, Hinata seemed practically terrified of the very idea, and he was about to rescind the offer to save her having to reply, but she nodded then.

"Y-yes! That would b-be most agreeable." Naruto smiled – so it wasn't that she was nervous; she was just shy! Well, he could deal with shy. Sasuke was shy too – though Sasuke was arrogant, while Hinata's entire self-confidence could probably fit in a thimble. The pair began to walk back to Konoha as Naruto thought of something to say.

"So… I hear your training at the hospital's going well?"

"Yes, it is… S-sakura-san and I have b-been enjoying our time th-there, and our instructor is v-very patient." Naruto smiled again – he'd made a good choice. Sakura was always happy to talk about her training, and it seemed Hinata wouldn't be any different.

"Yeah, it sounds like medical training is a lot of fun! Have you learned any techniques yet?" Hinata shook her head slightly, burying her face in her beige coat's collar.

"N-no… Kabuto-s-sensei has said that we aren't to l-learn a real technique until w-we know how the b-body functions… but we've just s-started learning to summon m-medical chakra." Naruto nodded slowly.

"Cool! How's, uh, medical chakra different from the usual stuff? Like, what does it do?"

The two spoke for a while before Hinata mentioned something else that piqued Naruto's interest. "… It's m-much easier for me to see what's wrong with the p-patients than for Sakura-san, b-because of the Byakugan…"

Naruto's mind fluttered, dragging up what he'd read in the library. The Byakugan, like most bloodline abilities, was only sketched out in the vaguest of terms there – it could see all around, he remembered, and was said to see through things – and particularly into peoples' chakra and internal systems.

"You can see organs with that, then, I guess? That's pretty awesome."

"Not j-just organs – chakra systems too. It's s-surprising how many people damage their s-systems somehow." This gave Naruto an idea.

"Hey, Hinata – would you mind doing me a favor?" Hinata stopped, tilting her head.

"What f-favor? I mean, of c-course! But what do you n-need?" Naruto smirked.

"Just watch my chakra system and tell me if you see anything strange." Naruto picked up a nearby leaf and applied it to his forehead, allowing his chakra to reach into the now-familiar exercise. He could have performed the tree-climbing exercise instead, but he thought this one, which he knew better, would be more useful for his purposes. Hinata flashed through a short series of seals and called out "**Byakugan**!"

Naruto watched, fascinated, as the veins around Hinata's eyes bulged, her eyes growing paler, if anything. He almost-unconsciously recycled the chakra holding the leaf to his head as a swirl of wild energy nearly displaced it, and Hinata's eyes widened. Naruto smiled – he'd been right.

"Th-there's… something in your chakra! It's a different color, and it feels… darker. It's twisting around… What is it?!" Naruto just shook his head slowly.

"It's part of my… uh… bloodline ability. Basically that 'wild energy' makes it tough for me to use my chakra without wasting a whole bunch – I figure that if you can tell me when it's coming, I can figure out what it feels like inside of me and get control over it!"

Over the next hour, Hinata warned Naruto as he pressed the leaves to his head, telling him just as the dark energy moved towards his techniques. He could feel them, but initially not in time to do anything about it. Slowly, though, he felt the strange, hot, bitter energy that emanated from his seal even as it came out of his chakra core. Trying something different, he reached into himself, grasping at the dark energy and redirected it away from the leaves. Hinata gasped.

"The energy! I-it's receding! It's not m-moving towards the technique anymore!" Naruto let the leaves fall from his face and smiled radiantly – he'd done it! Now that he knew what the Kyuubi's energy felt like as it flowed into his system, he could just redirect it away from his techniques – and thereby make chakra control exercises a thousand times easier to perform. He grabbed Hinata's hands, spinning her around as she gasped.

"It worked! It worked! Thanks, Hinata-chan!" Hinata's smile and widened eyes met him as she swooned – Naruto blinked. What had happened?

"Hinata-chan? Uh…" Not knowing what else to do, he picked the girl up and continued on his way. And here he'd thought she was over that.

Naruto decided to drop the girl off at her clan's complex – the Hyuuga Clan complex was, if anything, even more formal than the Nara complex. It was also bigger, spanning multiple blocks and surrounded with a whitewashed stone wall topped with slanted eaves. At each side was an ornate, traditional gate guarded by pale-eyed Hyuuga in white robes. As Naruto approached one with Hinata in his arms, one of the guards vanished inside. Naruto, unable to wave, simply approached.

"Hey, there, uh, Hyuuga-san? She sort of just fainted… Can I just leave her here?"

"You can leave Hinata-sama with me." An unfamiliar voice accompanied a familiar face in the form of Hyuuga Neji; a teammate of Lee's that Naruto had seen a few times at the end of his training sessions at Training Ground 27. Neji was tall, pale, and had long, dark brown hair, and he wore the same pale robe as the other Hyuuga. His pure-white eyes were full of a strange sort of malice as he looked at Hinata and Naruto felt immediately uncomfortable.

"Uh, Neji-san, I'm not so sure about that. I mean… are you sure she'll be safe?" Neji's eyes flashed.

"Hinata-sama will be safe with me. Fate has decreed that I protect her." Naruto had no idea what the other boy was talking about, but it sounded fairly final. Having no real recourse, Naruto settled Hinata in Neji's arms.

"Well, OK. Um… Is she all right? She just sort of fainted out of nowhere." Neji nodded stiffly.

"Hinata-sama is perfectly healthy. Do not trouble yourself any further, Uzumaki-san." Neji returned through the gate and Naruto watched them go for a bit.

Living as part of a clan sure was strange – and though Naruto would have done anything for a family, he didn't think even he wanted a family like that.

* * *

_Evening Before Present Day – Twelve Weeks and Three Days after Kakashi's Assessment_

Naruto watched Sasuke staring at the water unbelieving, and wondered what was wrong. Sakura seemed too shell-shocked from their other teammate's near-death experience to say anything.

"YES!" The cry that erupted from Sasuke's throat was the last thing either of his teammates had expected, and Naruto was on his feet with a kunai drawn before he knew it. It found no purpose, though, as he watched Sasuke leap into the air, practically spin around, and land with an enormous grin that looked positively disturbing on his face.

"Yes! Yes! YES!" Sasuke made his way back to Sakura and Naruto, almost bouncing. Sakura's lips had quirked into a smile, but her face was otherwise full of confusion – much a mirror of his own, Naruto guessed. Sasuke nearly leapt at him and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Naruto! Naruto, do you realize what this is? Do you realize what you've done?" Naruto stared for a moment.

"Uh… almost impaled you in the face with molten kunai-bits?" Sasuke laughed gaily, his eyes red and shining with delight. Wait, red?

"What the heck is up with your eyes?!" Sakura's face, which had closed into a thoughtful frown, suddenly lit.

"The Sharingan!" Sasuke grinned as he turned to her.

"Yes! I have it! Near-death experiences – oh, I should have let Naruto nearly kill me before!" Naruto chuckled in disbelief. Sasuke had once mentioned that the Sharingan appeared in times of great distress, often when its bearer was about to die and needed it most. He supposed flaming metal shrapnel racing at one's face counted.

Sakura smiled. "I'm glad you've got the Sharingan, Sasuke. Now – WHOA!" Sasuke was clearly not ready to stop celebrating, grabbing one of Sakura's hands and whirling around as he spun about. Sakura almost fell, but giggled slightly, clearly being dragged along by Sasuke's good mood. Good mood nothing, Naruto thought, grinning. Sasuke was ecstatic in a way he'd never seen before. Sasuke persisted in babbling about how thankful he was for another minute, even dragging Naruto into his strange dance, before finally slowing, allowing a gasping Sakura to sit down. He turned back to Naruto.

"Really, though, thank you, Naruto." Naruto shook his head.

"I didn't do it on purpose, you know – and I didn't want to hurt you. It's great that you got your Sharingan out of it, but…" Sasuke laid a hand on his shoulder.

"No. I understand that it was an accident, and I understand that it could have been bad – but you didn't mean to, and not only did everything turn out all right, they turned out better than we could have hoped. Just take the thanks, Naruto." Naruto smiled at this, and nodded.

"Well, this is a cozy scene! You must all have extra energy to burn today if you're ready to hop around like that." They all turned to face their teacher. They had no idea how long Kakashi had been watching them act like fools, but his eye was filled with an emotion Naruto couldn't place.

"Kakashi-sensei! I have the Sharingan!" Sasuke cried excitedly. Kakashi nodded, making a motion as if to dispel a genjutsu, and Naruto understood how he felt, looking at the frenzied look on Sasuke's face.

"Yes, I see – now you'd better turn it off before you tire yourself out. It uses chakra to stay open, you know." Sasuke sobered slightly and focused, letting his eyes darken back to their usual black.

"Now, that seems to have come at a good time – after all, today is the last day of our training break. Tomorrow, we'll be proceeding to missions – and I'm sure you're looking forward to testing the skills you've been learning, hmm?

All three genin nodded. Naruto's spirits soared – missions! He'd finally get to prove how awesome he was, and how awesome his team was! Kakashi continued.

"We'll spend the day working on cleaning up your techniques, so they're useful. We'll end a little early, and tomorrow we'll meet up early to get a hold of the best mission Hokage-sama has."

Despite the supposedly-easy day, Kakashi drilled his students' techniques relentlessly – they had been told to make sure they could use the techniques under pressure, even in a combat scenario; to use the minimum number of hand seals necessary, and to minimize the chakra wasted on each technique. Whenever he saw one of his students faltering, he assigned additional work until the problem was shored up to his satisfaction – and Kakashi, his students found, was never quite satisfied.

Nonetheless, as the day ended and Kakashi dismissed them, the genin found themselves still brimming with adrenaline for their first mission. Naruto turned to his teammates.

"We should do something special! We should celebrate making it out of Sensei's crazy boot camp!" Sakura smiled but shook her head.

"I'd love to, Naruto, but I'm going to eat dinner with my grandparents tonight – they're visiting from one of the outlying villages, and I can't miss it." Naruto nodded as Sakura made her way off, and turned to Sasuke hopefully. The black-haired boy shrugged.

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

"This is an awful idea."

Naruto and Sasuke stood outside a bar-and-restaurant Naruto had coaxed Sasuke to attend with him. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke had ever drunk before – unsurprisingly, since Sasuke, the elder of the two, was barely even thirteen. Naruto had decided that it was time to correct that.

Being genin, the two were technically adults, and as the two approached the door, Naruto nervously wondered if the waiter would allow them in – he didn't think he'd pranked this restaurant before, but the owner or staff might be among those prejudiced enough against him to find some way of keeping him out. Luckily, the waiter simply nodded at the two genin with a slightly colder-than-usual look in his eye as they passed by, and they found a seat at the bar.

The bartender approached them, and Naruto was gratified to see nothing in his eyes when he looked at Naruto other than a mild sense of recognition, mirrored when he saw Sasuke. "Hello, there, young… ninja. What can I get for you?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "Sake! For both of us!" Sasuke nodded next to him, and the bartender raised a single eyebrow.

"Sake, huh? You sure?"

"Yes!" Naruto kept a damper on his nervousness. This was their day to become adults! The bartender nodded.

"What kind of sake." Naruto looked at Sasuke nervously, but his teammate only shrugged, his eyes showing a hint of confusion. There were different kinds of sake?

"Um… Something good! Whatever you'd recommend!" The bartender just nodded and smiled, and returned a minute later with a clay bottle and a pair of porcelain cups. He poured a mostly-clear, very slightly milky liquid into each cup and nodded at the two boys.

"Something easy for starters. Good luck." Naruto didn't know what he meant by the last part, but Sasuke reached forward, wrapped his fingers around one cup, and in a single motion, tossed its contents down his throat. Naruto's eyes widened – he'd looked so cool! Naruto himself reached for the other cup, but was stymied by Sasuke's sudden coughing as his eyes bulged. Sasuke coughed violently, leaning over the bar.

"Sasuke?! You all right?" The Uchiha waved a hand.

"It's… agh… I can feel it burn…" Naruto stared, wide-eyed at his own cup. Sasuke looked up at him.

"Come on… you have to do it too…" Naruto stared a moment longer.

Perhaps this had been a horrible mistake.

* * *

"Urp."

About an hour later, both genin were slumped in their seats, the bottle empty between them. The bartender had brought them a bottle of plum wine, which they were passing back and forth – despite its strong aftertaste, the boys found it easier to drink thanks to the warm, fruity flavor. Naruto could feel a mild, warm buzz in his mind, and though things were a little blurry, he was enjoying it. Sasuke, he realized suddenly, was saying something.

"… and then I was just thinking – maybe if she would just GO AWAY I would like her more – but she didn't, so I just thought I'd put the fire out… but there wasn't one anymore, and it took forever to start another one, and that's why I didn't do as well in that survival lesson. Naruto, you listening?" Sasuke looked at him, bleary-eyed, and Naruto didn't know what to say. So he nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. So… um… this is good stuff!" Sasuke waved the bottle of plum wine in his hand, and Naruto felt a smile overtake his face. He wanted some more! He reached for it, and Sasuke clumsily passed it over. Naruto frowned.

"You git! You almost spilled it!" He drank straight from the bottle, and as he put it down was worried to see Sasuke leaning over the bar, his eyes wide.

"Yeah, I am a git… I mean… I was a git… Maybe that's why he did it? But that would mean he was a git, not me, right?" Naruto patted Sasuke vaguely on the shoulder.

"Nah, you're not really a git. I mean, Sakura-chan and I like you! And Kakashi-sensei likes you too, in his weird torturing sensei way. You must not be a git, then!" Sasuke nodded again, looking uncertain. Naruto looked over his teammate's head to see another group of people he recognized at a nearby table.

"Hey, look! It's Gai-sensei! And Lee! And Neji! And that girl whose name I can't remember!" Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the hand and hopped off his stool. Sasuke, stumbling slightly, grabbed the plum wine bottle and followed him. The two approached Team 9's table.

"Hey Gai-sensei!" Naruto called out as he approached. Gai's eyebrows rose as he looked at Naruto, and Naruto grinned. Lee was sitting next to him, happily eating teriyaki, while Neji sat quietly with a tray of sushi and a small cup of green tea. The girl with them was pretty in a friendly sort of way, with expressive brown eyes and brown hair tied into a pair of round buns, one on either side of her head. She wore a sleeveless pink shirt of a traditional style, and blue uniform pants much like Naruto's own.

"Hello, Naruto-kun! We are having a celebration of Lee-kun's birthday! Would you and your honorable comrade like to join us?" Naruto saw the girl – '_Tenten_,' his mind reminded him – looking agape past him. He turned to look at Sasuke, who was half hunched over, holding the plum wine bottle and looking very red-faced. Naruto turned back to Gai and his team.

"Yeah, sure! We'd love to!" He and Sasuke seated themselves, and Sasuke leaned over the table. Tenten looked at Naruto, seeming concerned.

"Is… is he going to be all right?" Naruto waved dismissively.

"He'll be fine. Just had a bit too much to drink." A quiet snore emanated from Sasuke's mouth, and Naruto looked down at his teammate. Turning his face downward so there was no chance of him choking, as Iruka-sensei had once warned them, Naruto turned back to Tenten.

"Like I said, fine!" Tenten still looked doubtful, but Naruto was enjoying himself too much to worry about that. Turning back to Neji, he grinned.

"So, Neji, was Hinata all right after that whole thing a couple weeks ago?" Neji's eyes flashed and his eyebrows lowered, but he spoke in a neutral tone.

"Yes, Uzumaki-san. Hinata-sama was quite fine, as I said." Barely acknowledging this, Naruto then turned to Lee.

"Good, good! So, it's your birthday, Lee?" Lee grinned, nodding vigorously.

"Yes, Naruto-kun! It is my birthday, and Gai-sensei and my teammates have been so kind as to bring me to this fine establishment to celebrate! What has brought you and your teammate here?" Naruto shrugged.

"Well, we were celebrating because he activated his eyes today, and because our first real mission is tomorrow!" Gai's students all looked at him funny, and Naruto hurried to clarify.

"Our team's been training for a while, because Kakashi-sensei wanted us to really kick ass! So we were given a few months off to prepare ourselves and get strong!" Naruto found himself standing at the end of this, and couldn't be bothered to mind, so he merely drank from the wine bottle instead. Gai raised an eyebrow.

"Naruto-kun, are you certain you should be drinking that much? I understand that as a genin, it is legal, but the warmth of alcohol may dampen your flames of youth!" Naruto, having heard this phrase many times during his training with Gai and Lee, shrugged it off.

"Nah, I don't plan to drink very often! We just thought we'd do it this time, to see what it was like!" Naruto grinned and looked at Gai's genin. "Have you guys ever had alcohol before?"

Neji stared for a moment, and then nodded shortly. "I have – during specified Hyuuga clan events."

Tenten had as well, as it turned out. "My dad lets me have some from his glass sometimes."

Lee, though, blushed violently. "I…I have not…" Naruto smiled.

"Try a little then! Not much, just see what you think?" Gai frowned, but shrugged – he was drinking sake himself, and wasn't about to be a hypocrite. Lee bit his lip and looked at the others at the table – but eventually the peer pressure was too much and he picked up the plum wine Naruto had put before him, tipped it up, and swallowed once, then twice…

Naruto's eyes widened. "Hey, not so much! You'll finish it!"

But it was too late, as Lee put the empty bottle down with a loud burp. Tenten chuckled, while Naruto mourned the wine. Sasuke stirred at the loud noise and looked up blearily.

"Ugh… My face feels weird…" But Naruto was more concerned about Lee's face, which had pinked in mere moments. His eyes drooped and he slowly stood up, stumbling. Neji frowned.

"Lee, stop your foolishness. You've only just barely drunk -" But with a snapping motion, Lee's foot caught Neji under the chin and sent him catapulting backwards through the paper wall of their booth. The group in the next booth shrieked in surprise as Neji dazedly looked up, but Lee was already on the move. Even as Gai and Naruto stood up, Lee had spun around and smashed his foot into Naruto's chest, hurling him into the aisle, before nearly falling out of the booth himself into the restaurant proper. Gai called out.

"Lee-kun! This is hardly youthful behavior!" But Lee was already going after Neji again, slurring.

"Err… Neji…. You my rivallllllllll… come back and I'll kick you…." Nearly falling over onto Neji, Lee slugged him in the face. The Hyuuga's eyes narrowed, and his hand flashed up, fingers aglow with the light of his Jyuuken style, which Naruto had only ever read about – but Lee's backward lean took him out of range. Lee fell backward, his feet slipping up and catching Neji in the chest. The force blew Neji over the bar, where he landed on an unknown number of bottles. Shocked, Naruto cried out,

"I'm sorry Gai-sensei! I didn't know!" But Gai merely shook his head.

"It is not your fault, Naruto-kun! You had no knowledge of Lee's particular weakness for alcohol – though I hope you take this as an important notice about why you should be careful!" Naruto nodded, desperately fighting the buzz in his head that was already dampening. Sasuke, in the meanwhile, giggled slightly as he stood up, swaying.

"Looks like fun... Maybe I should too…" As Sasuke's hands began to move into misshapen seals, Naruto's heart nearly stopped – nothing good could come of that, either if the techniques went right and sprayed fire and lightning through the bar, or worse, if they went wrong and Sasuke sent his chakra into the abyss to do who knew what. Luckily, Tenten nearly tackled Sasuke, grabbing the Uchiha's hands. She looked up at Naruto frantically.

"I'll deal with him! Help Sensei and Neji-kun with Lee!" Naruto barely had time to nod as he was knocked over by Neji, who Lee had somehow dragged over the bar again before drop-kicking him – straight into Naruto. Both boys sprawled as Lee slurred something about flames, leaving Gai to hop over a collapsed table to confront Lee.

"Lee-kun! Control yourself and reign in your youthful power! You must, or your flames shall burn this innocent place!" For a moment Lee seemed to realize what was being said, before he cried something that had no words and side-kicked Gai through the window.

Naruto and Neji stood up, and Naruto saw Neji's hands twitch again, this time towards his weapons holster. Naruto grabbed his hand and shook his head. "No! It's not his fault – we can't hurt him!"

Neji frowned slightly. "If we do not, it will be the very devil to stop him."

The two cautiously approached Lee from either side, and the swaying genin leapt into the air, a leg swinging impossibly quickly towards either of them. Neji managed to dodge the blow, but Naruto was caught full-on in the chest, throwing him back into their original booth and collapsing the table. Sasuke, who'd stood up, looked at him with a frown.

"Hey… that's my teammate…" Stumbling towards Lee, Sasuke raised a finger as if to reproach him. "Hey, Lee-san…"

Lee turned in Sasuke's direction, accidentally head-butting the boy in the face. Blood fell from Sasuke's nose with a crunch as Sasuke fell back, knocked unconscious by this latest indignity. Tenten grabbed a pillow from the shattered booth and sent it whizzing across the floor with a flick, allowing Sasuke to land on it lightly, and then stepped up next to Naruto, who had managed to stand. The two watched as Neji barely dodged a pair of quick jabs before being hurled to the floor by a powerful haymaker.

"What are we going to do?" Tenten asked desperately. Gai emerged from the door, looking slightly grim, and moved towards Lee, who was now approaching Neji as the Hyuuga rubbed his jaw. Naruto moved in on the other side of him, Tenten settling into a stance and following him. The three slowly moved around Lee's sides and back – and even as Lee almost fell on Neji, They all leapt, crashing into Lee.

Gai wrapped his arm around Lee's in a classic arm-lock, but the drunken wonder was as slippery as an eel. Tenten kicked one of his feet out, but the boy implausibly remained on the other foot, stable as could be. Naruto, finally giving up, flashed through a few seals.

"**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!" His control vastly improved since Hinata had given him the key to mastering the Kyuubi's loose chakra, and the alcohol burnt from his mind, Naruto summoned two clones of himself in a burst of smoke. The two cried out as they leapt upon Lee, grabbing either shoulder and wrenching him away from Neji. Even as Lee was about to pull free, Gai landed on top of him and flashed through a few seals himself. Lee began to pull forward, but Neji grabbed the other boy's legs and locked them down as Gai finished his technique and swiped his hand against a shard of glass on the ground nearby.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!**" In another burst of smoke, a large tortoise, almost the size of a human, landed on Lee's back, dispelling both of Naruto's clones and leaving him with a distinct impression of what being crushed under a hard-shelled reptile was like. Lee wriggled, but under Gai, Neji, and the tortoise, he slowed until eventually his loud snores could be heard through the silence.

The bartender slowly looked up from behind the counter, and Naruto took in the devastated bar, multiple crushed tables, and shattered booth. Tenten weakly called out.

"Check, please?"

* * *

Afterwards, while Gai's team had decided to take Lee home, Naruto was left to help Sasuke up and lead him out. Sasuke, despite his broken nose, seemed quite cheerful.

"Aand… If we don't get any kunaaaiiiiii, then we'll put a fist in 'er face!" Naruto wasn't certain if Sasuke was singing some kind of shinobi drinking song he was unaware of, or just making something up, but either way his singing voice was absolutely horrid.

"Uh, Sasuke? Maybe you shouldn't sing… I think I'll take you by Sakura's place to get your nose fixed." Sasuke ran a finger over his nose, stared at the blood, and giggled.

"You know, I'm pretty used to blood. I mean, I saw a lot of it." Naruto remained silent.

"Itachi… I saw a lot of blood when Itachi was done, you know? It was everywhere. So much blood – it was like someone had poured it out of a hose. A hose made of Uchihas." Naruto bit his lip. Sasuke had lived with a lot of problems, and it sounded like he was about to pour them all out.

"Sasuke… you don't have to talk about this – don't just -"

"No!" Sasuke looked surprisingly stable as he pulled free of Naruto, though he almost stumbled. "No, I'll talk about what I want to! Itachi can't stop me anymore, he's gone and I'm still here, alone, and I don't know what I hate more!" Naruto was confused.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means that I don't know if I hate that he left, or that he didn't take me with him!" Sasuke slurred the end slightly, his eyes shining, but Naruto was too shocked to catch him as he pitched over his own leg and almost fell. Naruto helped him from his knees.

"I don't want to leave Konoha. But he was my brother. He killed everyone, but I still…" Naruto nodded, patting him on the back.

"He's still your brother, I get it." Sasuke looked up at him, bitter.

"How could you get it? You don't have a brother, Naruto. You never did." Naruto grit his teeth.

"No, maybe not. But I know what it's like to be lost and confused because of a choice that you didn't get to make." Sasuke searched Naruto's eyes for a moment before nodding reluctantly. Surprisingly clear, he reached towards him.

"Help me up. We need to get to Sakura's place." Arm slung across Naruto's shoulders, he stumbled along, and Naruto felt a strange feeling course through his chest. Maybe he didn't have a brother, Naruto thought, but he had a friend – and no matter what Sasuke thought, he wasn't alone.

That very fact was proven true several minutes later as the two boys stumbled up to Sakura's door. Naruto rang the doorbell, and fortuitously for their reputations with Sakura's parents, it was their teammate that opened the door, dressed in a simple nightdress and bathrobe.

"What?! Naruto, Sasuke… what happened to you?" Naruto shrugged slightly.

"Um… got drunk, bar fight… uh… that's about all, really…" Sakura face-palmed, helping Naruto lead Sasuke into her house by the shoulder and settling him in a chair at the dining table.

"All right, let's take a look at him. It doesn't actually look like a break, just some snapped blood vessels." Naruto thanked whatever spirits were watching for that as Sakura quietly cleaned out Sasuke's nostrils before carefully activating her healing chakra and passing it over the bridge of her teammate's nose. Naruto watched as the red coloration receded, leaving Sasuke's nose back in its original shape, though Sasuke still had a bright red face like the tomatoes he so loved. Naruto looked at Sakura and spoke quietly.

"Thanks, Sakura. This… I'm sorry for dragging him to you like this." Sakura shook her head and smiled slightly.

"No, Naruto – don't… I mean; you're my teammates. You two idiots and I are together now, and even if you do dumb things like this, I'll always be there to help." Naruto smiled, and Sasuke slurred something neither of the others could understand. Naruto leaned forward.

"What's that?" Sasuke looked up, his eyes still bleary.

"Team… We're Team Seven…" Naruto grinned widely.

"That we are."

* * *

**Technique Library**: Byakugan (Pale/White Eye): A bloodline doujutsu (eye technique) possessed by the Hyuuga clan. Sometimes known as the "all-seeing eye," the Byakugan allows the bearer (When the eyes' powers are activated) to see in a 300-degree arc around themselves, excepting a small blind spot directly behind them. This blind spot can be limited with training. Additionally, the Byakugan allows the bearer to see through solid objects, as well as into the bodies of individuals – this latter ability is most often used to see the chakra systems of other individuals, though it can also be used to observe organs and circulation. Finally, the Byakugan automatically sees through any genjutsu as if it were not present – though it reveals the genjutsu techniques' presence as a chakra shroud, such techniques are entirely ineffective against an activated Byakugan bearer's eyes.

Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique): A space-time A-ranked ninjutsu that draws a powerful being from another world into this one – it is often debated whether the beings are actually spirits or demons of some sort, and where they come from. Another subject of debate is whether the summoned beings themselves are drawn into the world or instead merely inhabit chakra constructs that maintain their presence. Regardless of the esoteric questions this technique inspires, the facts are simple – after signing a special contract with a group of summoned creatures, a user of this technique can summon forth a host of creatures associated with that contract to fight alongside them, provide them with various services, and generally to act as allies and assistance.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

As I said, this chapter was in sort of a vignette style – probably one which will be revisited during other training periods, so go ahead and let me know what you thought of it – especially in comparison to the montage I used last time.

Next chapter, we'll get to Team 7 (the new and improved!)'s first mission, and their first trip out of Konoha – and I'll just let you know now – it's NOT the Wave mission!

This seems like a good time to ask, since we're wrapping up the training segment of the story: Would any of you like any of the following (you need not pick only one; feel free to choose any or all of them):

A) A quick profile on Team 7 and what they've learned during their three-month training period (or would you rather just see what they've learned in-character?)

B) A list of new techniques/jutsu as they appear, either in its own chapter or at the bottom of the chapters in which they appear, with a brief descriptor

C) Chapters or a separate story with my conception of the Naruto world – things like how the elemental countries function and what I'm talking about in this story when I bring up things like the Fire Lord's Army or the Council

Please let me know if you'd be interested - otherwise, I won't know whether there's any demand!

A couple of replies to selected reviews (and again, thank you very much to everyone who's reviewed so far):

_Freya's Doll_: Wish granted!

_theIrishWriter_: As usual, I shan't say anything in detail about the future – only that at least one (maybe more) of the things you mentioned is on my storyboard.

_ZrPx_: That's definitely an interesting perspective – raw fist-based beatdowns are a personal favorite of mine to read about, so regardless of whether Naruto gets a weapon, he'll definitely be punching and kicking people a lot.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	5. Chapter 5: Testing the Blade

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 12, 2014 (Updated August 14)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 5: Testing the Blade**

_Wherein the team takes a vote, blood is spilled, and there is an unexpected discovery._

* * *

"_So who's ready for their first mission…? And why is Sasuke glaring at me?"_

Naruto was the first to answer. "He's just pissy because he has a headache." Sasuke tossed his teammate an empty glare for a moment, then turned back to Kakashi.

"Well, let's hope that frown flips over, huh? Don't want to be meeting the Hokage with a face like that!" His students all took notice.

"Wait, we're doing a mission for Hokage-sama?" Sakura ventured uncertainly. Naruto could sympathize – already doing a mission of such importance seemed a little out of their reach. Kakashi shook his head.

"No, no – I haven't actually GOTTEN a mission yet – after all, I'd like to take you through the whole process – starting at the mission assignment desk." He motioned, and the three genin followed him back towards the village. Naruto groused about having to meet at the Training Ground even if they were heading back into town. Kakashi magnanimously ignored him.

"So, as we walk, who wants to explain mission assignment structure to me so I know the Academy teachers are earning their paychecks?" Sasuke merely shrugged, while Naruto was still annoyed. Sakura sighed and answered.

"Uh, ok, Sensei. Missions come in six sorts – D, C, B, A, and S-ranked, as well as unfiled missions, which only go to ANBU because they technically don't exist and don't actually come from clients. We only need to worry about D-ranks and C-ranks, since that's all genin are cleared for, right?" Kakashi nodded.

"Good, Sakura. Now, what sorts of things would you expect to be doing on, say, a D-ranked mission?" The genin looked lost, and Naruto spoke up.

"Beating up bandits and stuff? Maybe catching thieves?" Kakashi grinned.

"You've just described some of the most common C-ranked missions, Naruto. Now, what does that tell you about D-ranks?" The genin groaned.

"So… what then, like delivering packages and stuff?" Naruto asked. Kakashi shook his head.

"More like collecting groceries, walking dogs, and other things that we might otherwise call chores…" Naruto looked incensed.

"What the hell, Sensei? I get my own groceries – why should I get groceries for some lazy bum as a mission? And walking a dog – who the heck gets a dog who doesn't want to spend time with it themselves?!" Sasuke, surprisingly, responded to this.

"Actually, I think a lot of retirees and injured shinobi assign D-ranked missions for things like that." Naruto looked a little abashed, and Kakashi smiled.

"That's correct, Sasuke. Not only that, D-ranked missions are fairly rare, actually – as a percentage, the only missions that make up less of Konoha's missions, proportionally, are S-ranked missions – and those obviously count for a disproportionately large amount of our income. D-ranked missions are pretty much only for teaching new genin to work together and otherwise for pocket change." As his genin stared back with annoyed faces, Kakashi decided to skip to the point.

"Now, who can tell me why I'm telling you this?" Naruto started, surprised.

"What do you mean, Sensei? Why wouldn't you tell us, other than maybe if you were an even bigger asshole than you are?" Kakashi's eye twinkled with an evil light.

"You'll regret saying that when we get back to training, Naruto – but the funny thing is, most genin go into the mission room a few days after team assignment, raring to go – and get saddled with a D-rank mission. Why am I telling you about them beforehand, despite the fact that you've never taken a mission before?" The genin thought about it, and Sakura raised a hand.

"Maybe because after all the training we did, we're vastly overqualified for that sort of mission? I mean, if we just spent three months of the village's time on becoming better fighters, it would be really dumb for us to just start doing chores afterwards, right?" Kakashi grinned.

"In one, Sakura. I may have worked you three to the bone, but thanks to that, you're probably among the scariest midgets in Konoha right now (Kakashi ignored the outraged looks Sasuke and Naruto gave him). Still, there's a problem. I'm sure you all want to become chuunin at some point, right?" All three genin gave him an incredulous look. "Yeah, that's what I figured. See, to become chuunin, you're all required to take at least ten D-ranked missions and at least one C-ranked mission before either testing or field promotion are open to you." Sakura gave a soft exclamation of dismay.

"So no matter what, we'll have to do D-rank missions, then?" Naruto exhaled hard.

"That sucks! Can't we ask Hokage-oji-san to let us off?!" Sasuke, though, looked contemplative.

"Wait… there's another side to this. Kakashi never just tells us stuff…" He looked hard at Kakashi, who pasted an innocent look on his face. Naruto nodded.

"Right, right. OK, mission zero for Team 7 – what the hell is he trying to teach us now? He's just told us that D-ranked missions suck, and that we still have to do at least ten of them before testing or field promotion. Field promotions are usually given out what, during war or after major missions, right?" Sakura nodded. "So that's out, at least for now. So we'd need to enter the Chuunin Exams… which are in Konoha in six months!" He looked at his teammates, excited. Sasuke nodded, picking up.

"So we need to do at least ten pointless errands in six months. Easy – we pick the ones that take the least time, and spend the rest of the day training. Naruto?" Naruto nodded and looked to Sakura, who smiled. All three turned to Kakashi, who shrugged.

"Well, that was pretty simple. I was prepared to have to dunk Naruto in the Flame River until he agreed." Naruto snorted.

"Yeah, maybe before all the training, Sensei. But Sasuke's right – if we can breeze through the crap missions, we can get to the good stuff!" Sakura agreed.

"Not to mention having more C-ranked missions on our record, particularly after we do the D-ranked missions, will show growth and experience – which'll be valuable during the exams, right Sensei?" Kakashi nodded.

"It can't hurt, that's for sure. Very few are promoted by the actual judges of the exams, you know – most exam promotions come afterwards, as part of the reward for the 'mission' the exam constitutes – it's usually marked down as an unfiled mission on the participants' records." Naruto grimaced.

"Ugh, so this means we're going to go up there and voluntarily ask for Oji-san to give us some kind of terrible slave-labor assignment? God, ten missions can't go by fast enough…"

* * *

Unfortunately for Naruto, time spent on D-ranked missions did not go by any faster than any other mission or training time. The Hokage had been glad to see Team 7 come in for an assignment, and more so to see them all in uniforms – Sakura in particular had been grateful to Kakashi when the Hokage, remembering her by name, had asked after her father and complimented her on her maturity in joining Konoha's medical program.

The Hokage's favor, though, did not in any way keep Team 7 from the drudge work they had sentenced themselves to when they accepted their first D-rank mission. Eager to make his model team known around the village, Kakashi had accepted a highly visible mission for his team's first. – delivering civilian mail around the village.

"Aha, Sasuke-chan! Many of us have wondered where you have been for the past few months – there were rumors… well, never mind that. Ah, you have a letter for me? Thank you so much, young man!" As the old woman's door closed, Sasuke's eyebrow twitched at being called "Sasuke-chan." Many of the village's civilians treated him with a degree of familiarity and respect that Sasuke wasn't sure he'd done anything to deserve – but the worst were those who treated him like a child to be carefully coddled.

Behind him, he heard a door slam in Naruto's face and winced slightly as the blonde hopped down from the man's staircase with a blazing grin on his face. He really wasn't certain what Naruto had done to piss off what seemed like half the village, but he was beginning to suspect it wasn't anything rational. Naruto just seemed far too used to the cold shoulder he'd been getting for it to be something recent.

Sakura returned with an annoyed look to the wagon they were dragging along, full of more letters, where Kakashi waited.

"Sensei, this is the most painfully humiliating thing ever! Why do we have to do this?" Naruto, for once, said nothing. The blonde instead silently grabbed the wagon's handle and pulled it along, allowing Sasuke and Sakura to take a break. Kakashi looked up from his book.

"Hmm, that's a good question? Why DO we have to do this, Sakura?" Sakura groaned, but Sasuke thought she should have known better by now – Kakashi never spared a chance to turn something into a lesson. Surprisingly, though, it was Naruto who answered.

"It's to show that Sasuke's still around and that he's a Konoha ninja now – a lot of these civvies think of him as something special, and he's been out of sight for a while now." Kakashi nodded.

"Just so. Don't worry, Naruto, this'll be the only mission like this we'll be taking – just need to make up for a few months of the people not having their Sasuke fix." Sasuke scowled at being referred to like a drug, but understood Kakashi's purpose – Naruto wasn't in a good mood after having doors slammed in his face, sharp nods be the majority of acknowledgement he received, and, in one case, a letter's recipient speaking to Naruto by calling out to Kakashi on the street and having him relay the her words to 'the boy.'

Sasuke noted that they were nearly half-done and sighed. With a frustrated Sakura, an upset Naruto, and a Kakashi determined to be as painful of company as ever, this mission couldn't end too soon.

* * *

Luckily, the mission did end, and Kakashi had his students train for the two following days to recover before their next D-rank mission. Though painting an ex-shinobi's fence, repairing his house, and gardening his overgrown lawn was annoying and tiresome, it didn't rankle Team 7's genin anywhere near as much as their previous mission had. That the old veteran hadn't shown Naruto any particular disdain, and in fact had brought him (as well as his teammates) a pitcher of ice water halfway through the day had certainly helped.

After another training day, they felt like they were settling into a comfortable routine – the D-ranked missions seemed more like an unpleasant break from the marginally-less unpleasant matter of Kakashi's still-brutal training regime. The genin were looking forward to their day off more than ever.

Team 7 undertook a third mission the next day – unfortunately, this turned out to be the straw that broke the camel's back.

* * *

"Sakura here, target sighted at 13 and… 8 on Training Ground 16, over."

"Roger – Sasuke, Naruto, move to stated position, over."

"Wilco."

"This is bullshit!"

"Naruto!"

"Sorry. This is bullshit, OVER."

"Naruto, I don't think she was objecting to your neglect of communicator procedure, over."

"Seriously! Sensei, you broke out the chakra headsets for THIS?! We're chasing a freaking cat! Over!"

"I thought you said you wanted a better way to 'hunt down that menace,' over?"

"At location, target sighted. Naruto, are you in position?"

"Oh damn it. Yeah, I'm here, and I see the cat."

"…"

"Over."

"OK, Naruto, you move in on the target. Sakura, hold in case the target escapes his grip and Sasuke, move in to assist, over."

"Oh seriously?! This stupid thing hates me! Why do I have to take point?"

"Because it hates EVERYONE, Naruto. And you're the only one who has special healing powers. Over."

"I hate you. Out."

Naruto dove atop the cat from the tree, and after a brief but epic struggle resulting in not less than ten lacerations to Naruto's face, arms, and scalp, Tora the cat had been captured. And, thanks to Sasuke, hog-tied with ninja wire. As the team began to make its way back to the administrative offices, with Sakura holding the abjectly meowing cat, Naruto snapped.

"Seriously, I know we have to do ten of these things, but I need a break. I can't do this anymore – can we take a week of training? Or maybe a C-rank?" Sakura's mouth twisted in reply.

"Naruto, we agreed that we'd just get through these, right? I mean, they're pretty painful, true, but…" Naruto shook his head violently.

"No, no, no! I can't do another one of these right now – please, Sakura-chan, let's maybe use these as, uh… cool-down periods! From C-rank missions! We have nearly half a year until we need them all done, right?" Sakura sighed – though she hadn't been the universe's spittoon through the course of the missions, she too was becoming rather annoyed. She turned to Sasuke, who'd been quiet as usual.

"What do you think, Sasuke?" Sasuke didn't say anything for a minute, and then spoke carefully.

"I think… while we initially planned to try and simply complete all of our D-rank missions at once, that will be a difficult proposition at best. They are extremely tiresome, particularly after the training we did." Naruto nodded.

"Good! That's settled; we'll ask Oji-san for a real mission next! OK, Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi shrugged.

"You can ask Hokage-sama on the day after tomorrow – tomorrow's your day off, remember?" Naruto sighed, letting his mouth curve into a grin. He was vaguely aware of his teammates visibly relaxing as well – even more than the long weeks of training they'd undergone, this had certainly been the most painful week of all.

Sakura suddenly frowned as she turned to Naruto. "By the way, Naruto – you can't keep calling the Hokage "oji-san" like that – I remember he used to pick you up from the Academy sometimes, and I guess since he never told you not to it was OK before, but you're a ninja now!"

Naruto's face fell slightly. "Yeah, I know – it's hard though! I mean, he's the closest thing I've got to family, and it's what he told me to call him when I was a kid." Kakashi nodded sagely.

"Old habits die hard – it's to be expected. If Hokage-sama hasn't said anything about it yet, I'm sure you can keep calling him that in private and with us – just be careful in official settings like the mission assignment room." Naruto nodded, looking a little happier.

* * *

"… and I got all scratched up, even on my face! You can't see them now, but it really hurt – man, D-ranked missions are almost as painful as Sensei's training – they should make that cat a B-rank at least…" Naruto finished telling Ayame about his week as he waited for his next bowl of ramen to be completed. The Ichiraku stand was fairly busy, but with nobody calling for Ayame's attention at the moment, Naruto had seized a chance to tell her all about what he'd been up to the previous day.

Ayame giggled and ruffled Naruto's hair, ignoring his protests. "It sounds like it was a harrowing experience, to be sure, Naruto-kun. But don't you feel lucky? You got to meet the Fire Lord's wife!"

Naruto thought back to the heavy-set woman in ornate makeup who had owned the cat, squeezing it to the point where even the vindictive Naruto had felt sorry for it. As flighty as she had seemed, Kakashi had pointed out that allowing her cat freedom to roam while she was in Konoha offered the woman the opportunity to meet the newest cadre of ninja who would serve her husband – and that their names would certainly be tossed around in the halls of the Fire Country capital.

"I guess. I mean, is it so special?" Ayame looked shocked as she collected several bowls and deposited them in the sink behind the counter.

"Special? Her husband rules over all of us, and over all of the Fire Country! I mean, maybe it's less important to big, strong ninjas like you (Naruto grinned, blushing), but to us civilians, he's the top of the ladder!" Naruto nodded at this, digging into his next bowl of noodles. Ayame sighed.

"Oh, to get to meet people that important! I mean, ninja like you get to travel and see the world – hah, try not to forget us when you go places, eh?" Ayame winked as she flounced away, leaving Naruto to his thoughts.

Was that what ninja seemed all about to civilians – strange and remote, able to travel and beholden to only their own unique brands of authority? Ninja were about more than that, though, Naruto thought - the faces of his teammates flashed before his eyes.

"Thinking about something, Naruto?" The blond turned to see the seat next to him, where a scarred man of average height sat. Umino Iruka had brown hair tied back in a ponytail and dark eyes set in a deeply tanned face. Of thoroughly average appearance other than the long scar that traced across the bridge of his nose, Iruka had been Naruto's teacher throughout the Academy. He dressed in a chuunin vest and uniform clothing – much like Naruto, but for Naruto's vest being a battered orange remnant of his old jumpsuit.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto was delighted to see his old teacher – he'd seen Iruka in the mission assignment room, far away, but the chuunin had been assigning a mission to a different squad, so Naruto hadn't been able to speak to him. "It's awesome to see you – now I don't have to pay for my ramen!"

Iruka choked and looked at Teuchi, who was busily boiling another vat of noodles. "How much has he had already?" Teuchi faked thinking.

"Oh, maybe around four bowls?" Naruto scowled.

"Four my ass, I've had six! And this is my seventh!" Iruka shook his head fondly.

"You're making your own money now, Naruto – you don't need any of my help paying for that ramen." Naruto's face fell for a moment before turning into a grin.

"Fine then! I'll pay for YOUR ramen!" Iruka smirked.

"Time for my revenge!"

Unfortunately for Iruka, his revenge was stymied by the fact that he lacked the apparently-bottomless appetite for ramen Naruto could muster. Sitting back with a groan after his fourth bowl, he turned to Naruto.

"Uh… Oh… OK, you win this one, brat. So… what've you been up to? I didn't see you around for a while after you graduated…" Naruto smiled and shrugged.

"Well, we were training for a really long time – Kakashi-sensei wanted us to get really strong, so he made us work our butts off! And then we've done a few D-Rank missions, but those are really, really boring – so we're gonna ask for a C-rank mission tomorrow!" Iruka looked worried.

"Naruto, are you sure you're ready? You've only done a few missions, and while I know you trained for a while, training isn't the same as the real world." Naruto shook his head.

"I know that, Sensei – but think about it. If I never go out into the real world, all I'll ever have DONE is train. I have to go, and I have Sakura and Sasuke with me – and Kakashi-sensei, even though he's a crazy person." Iruka looked past Naruto's unique way of phrasing things and spoke shrewdly.

"So you like your team, then? I remember how hard you fought against being put with Sasuke before…" Naruto thought about that.

"I didn't like Sasuke, and I guess he's still the same person – he's still quiet all the time, and sort of stubborn, and he's definitely way too cocky. But he talks more now – when he wants to say something to us. And he listens when Sakura or I say something – and he knows when he needs help. That's the big one, I think – he knows when he can't do something alone, and even if he can't get over himself to ask for help, he still lets us know somehow." Iruka smiled.

"I'm glad – it sounds like you're really ready to become a ninja!" Naruto hopped off his stool and counted off bills to throw onto the counter.

"I am – so don't worry about us, Iruka-sensei! We're gonna kick that mission's ass tomorrow, and prove that we're the best genin in Konoha!" Naruto made his way out of the stand, leaving Iruka looking after him. Teuchi nodded at the doorway as he picked the money up.

"Kid's sure grown up, huh, Iruka-san?" Iruka nodded.

"Yup. Hope he's ready for that next step – it's a big one."

* * *

The next morning, Naruto and the rest of his team made their way to the mission assignment room once more. Naruto was practically vibrating with excitement for his first C-ranked mission. As they entered, the Hokage (or, more likely, Naruto realized, a clone) smiled.

"Aha, Team 7… what will it be today? We have a nice selection of D-ranks here…" Naruto shook his head.

"Nope! Kakashi-sensei says we're ready for a C-rank today!" The Hokage looked to Kakashi with raised eyebrows. Sakura stepped forward, overawed by getting to speak to the village's leader personally.

"You see, um… Hokage-sama… we were thinking that D-rank missions are kind of like rests, right? So it made more sense to us that we'd take rests AFTER doing a real mission than to finish them all off beforehand…" Sasuke nodded encouragingly, and she continued. "And… we're really eager to see what we're all able to do now, after Sensei's training."

The Hokage nodded, thinking carefully. Kakashi himself stepped forward, in the silence.

"Honestly, Hokage-sama, I believe this would be the best course. After all, what was the point of giving me those three months if we don't let my team use their training?"

The Hokage nodded again, this time more decisively. "Very well. Team 7, I shall assign you a C-ranked mission." Naruto whooped, while Sakura silently pumped her fist. Sasuke merely smiled and remained at parade rest. The Hokage carefully ran a finger along the chart before him, and then fished the appropriate scroll from the rack sitting against the wall. The team crowded forward, eager to hear what their mission would be. The Hokage's face became slightly grimmer as he scanned the scroll and looked up.

"Team 7 – you are assigned to mission C-34957, requested by Governor Tsume Kazuto of Keishi Province, labelled as a search-and-destroy mission. Good luck." Kakashi took the mission scroll, his face becoming serious as well, and he bowed deeply. The genin, too excited to notice the tension, all followed suit. As they turned to leave, Naruto turned back to the Hokage, an irrepressible grin on his face.

"Thanks, Hokage…oji-sama. We won't let you down!" Naruto vanished out of the door, and the Hokage chuckled quietly.

'_I hope that boy never changes_…'

* * *

Kakashi silently led the team to the courtyard outside the administrative building, where a statue of the Yondaime Hokage stood in the center of a lovely fountain. Several shining ryo coins glittered in the fountain's depths as Kakashi motioned his students to sit on the benches around it.

"All right, team – this is our first C-ranked mission. This isn't like the other missions – you have to take this one seriously and follow instructions properly. Do you all understand?" The genin nodded in affirmation, and Kakashi stared at them until he was satisfied.

"Good. Our mission will be taking place to the south of Konoha, about one day's travel at top speed, but more likely around two days at the speed we'll travel at. Pack for a week, just in case, and I'll explain our mission on the road. Meet at the south gate in one hour."

One hour later, the team was at the gate, packs shouldered. Each of them had an additional set of clothing (though Naruto only had the one vest), a highly compressible sleeping bag, a waterproof cloak which could act as a tarp or tent, extra weapons and rations, several useful chemical pills including firestarters, a few versatile tools, notebooks and writing instruments, a canteen, a collapsible pot, and rope.

"Gotta have that rope," Naruto joked as the genin of Team 7 awaited their teacher. Kakashi was only half an hour late. He stared at the somewhat bulky packs on the backs of his students and groaned.

"So that's what I forgot to teach you. Kids, when we get back to Konoha, remind me to teach you how to use seals." Naruto's eyes widened.

"Sealing? Man, I've wanted to learn that since the academy! Iruka said that a good seal-master could do pretty much anything!" Sasuke smirked at Naruto's enthusiasm, while Sakura smiled tolerantly, motioning at the gate.

"We'd better go, Sensei – we're already a tad late and we'll want to get to the mission…" Kakashi seemed to rouse himself and nodded. The team strode to the gate, where a pair of chuunin awaited. Kakashi happened to know that the two, Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu, were actually well-trained ANBU members – nonetheless, he indulged their game.

"Genin Team 7 leaving Konoha on mission C-34957, Izumo-san. Estimated return in five days, though up to a week is possible." Kakashi presented his shinobi passport, and his students mirrored him. Kotetsu quickly glanced over the paperwork and nodded at his partner, who stamped the passports. With a grin and a wave, Team 7 left Konoha for the first time.

* * *

The air was sweet and the early autumn sun shone brightly on the road as Team 7 quickly made their way south. Though an ordinary civilian on foot or with a wagon would travel quite slowly, ninja had several major advantages when travelling. Not only could they travel longer and without a rest, but they were capable of moving more quickly too, using chakra to reinforce their legs as unnaturally long strides ate up the distance. Konoha rapidly disappeared into the trees, leaving them surrounded for a time by nothing but the twitter of birds and the swish of the branches in the wind.

The team remained silent until they emerged from the enormous Konoha Forest that surrounded their village. The five Great Hidden Villages weren't particularly hidden – moderately well-known paths led to all of them; while some of the smaller villages were paranoid enough to keep their locations a secret, any of the Five could be pinpointed on a map. Nonetheless, having a known location and being easy to get to were two very different matters – just as Sunagakure was protected by the swathes of desert that surrounded it, Konohagakure was buried in a dense forest that expanded for dozens of leagues in every direction. While roads led to it, they were carefully guarded and watched, ensuring the safety of Konoha's inhabitants.

Once Team 7 left the forest, though, they had entered the rest of Fire Country – a well-populated land of farming villages, market towns, and a certain few larger cities. As their legs ate up the kilometers of the journey, Kakashi kept an eye out for a good place to pause. After a few more hours, Kakashi spotted a tree to the side of the road that cast a wide, cool shadow. He flashed a hand sign at them, knowing they'd learned the basics of Konoha's silent language in the Academy. As they all signed an acknowledgement back, he added the intricacies of the language to his mental list of "things to teach my brats."

Once the team reached the tree, the genin sighed and settled under it, while Kakashi leaned against the trunk. Naruto withdrew his canteen and swished a mouthful of water around, while Sakura merely lay back and allowed her legs to rest. Sasuke removed his sandal and popped a pebble from its tread with a kunai. All three turned back to Kakashi after a moment's rest.

"Sensei – the mission?" Kakashi nodded, withdrawing the mission scroll from his vest, where he'd tucked it safely. Though the mission was only of C-rank, it was best to teach his team good practices from the start – like not talking about the mission until one was well away from any potential eavesdroppers. He unfurled the scroll.

"Right. As the Hokage said, we've been assigned C-ranked mission code-numbered #34957, with the designation search-and destroy. Our orders are to move south until we reach the Ember Road, which travels roughly parallel to the coastline from River Country east, then hooks south into Tea Country. Around the bend in the road, there are rumors of bandit activity which the Fire Lord had the local governor send some samurai to investigate – but they haven't found anything, so the governor hired us." Naruto nodded.

"Right, so we go in, capture these guys, and drag 'em back to the local lord or whatever?" Kakashi shook his head, and Naruto felt a heavy weight pressing down on him, making it hard to breath.

"No. Our orders are to find the camp – and eliminate it." Sakura made a distressed noise.

"Wait, we're supposed to kill everyone? But… why? I mean, they're bandits, but we could capture them, right?" Kakashi frowned at her.

"Sakura, not only would it be more difficult and dangerous to capture the bandits than to kill them, but our orders are orders – and we'll follow them regardless of our personal opinions. That is what it means to be ninja."

"But that's like we're just tools, like kunai or something!" Naruto cried out in reply. He seemed genuinely distressed at the thought of killing, and Kakashi wondered if he should have his students gather the enemies, and then kill them himself. But no, the jounin considered, the Hokage had given Team 7 this mission in particular knowing what it would entail. The Hokage wanted his students blooded, Kakashi realized, and he wasn't about to circumvent his commander's decision. Especially when he agreed with it; one never knew when they'd have to fight to the death, and for his students to hesitate might be deadly.

"Yes, Naruto, and that's what ninjas are." Sasuke spoke up, his eyes hard. "I think it makes sense – we'd have to kill someone eventually, and doing so early means we'll be ready for if we have to in the future." Naruto and Sakura were quelled by their teammate's logic, and though Kakashi wasn't certain that it really was logic driving Sasuke's rationale, he was grateful for not having to push his students further.

"Thank you, Sasuke. Now, we have a long run to Keishi, so we'd best get on the move."

Silently, his students stood and followed him, and Kakashi was struck by just how young they were. Sakura would be thirteen in just over a week, he recalled, and Naruto not until the day of the Kyuubi festival. Sasuke was older by a few months, but all Kakashi could see was the baby fat still clinging to the genins' faces, reminding him of their childhood innocence.

Innocence he had just ordered them to destroy.

* * *

The team kept moving for the rest of the day, camping in silence by a mostly-dry riverbed. They built a fire which they promptly smothered into hot coals and slept wrapped in their sleeping bags – after a full day's run, all but Naruto were exhausted. The Jounin kept watch for the first half of the night, and then awoke Sasuke, reminding him to awaken Naruto afterwards. That Sakura was on watch when Kakashi himself awoke told him that the watch order had been kept, and he gave the team an approving nod as they packed up their bags.

After scattering the coals, mostly into the trickling stream, and brushing dirt over their campsite, the team was on the move once more. Keishi, the south-eastern portion of Fire Country, had several rivers running through it from the west, where River Country lay. These rivers created a deep, fertile valley, and the hot sun beat down on them, baking the road into a hard crust. The tall rice paddies and millet grass flowed in the slight wind, and though tiring, the travelers took pleasure in the scenery.

It was late in the afternoon, with the sun dipping deep towards the hills to the west when Team 7 reached the samurai outpost. Twelve samurai guarded the outpost, itself little more than a stone shack surrounded by a low wall of clay bricks. The samurai dressed in red armor and helms, the swords that marked their positions at their sides. Naruto panting slightly as he and his teammates slowed to a walk. One of the samurai, guarding the pitiful 'gate' of the outpost, fingered his swords meaningfully as they approached, but none of the genin were intimidated.

Naruto recalled that to the north, in Iron Country, where there were no ninja, samurai used chakra-based techniques to be equals or superiors in combat against ninja. However, elsewhere, samurai were little more than trained men with swords. Though they were taught to fight and die in the service of their lords, and often had experience from the infighting between lords within countries, samurai were typically little more than fodder before the hurricane of force even a single ninja could apply.

A single genin straight out of the academy, thanks to chakra enhancement and his academy techniques, was typically thought of as more than a match for two to three samurai – and trained genin like those of Team 7 could outfight whole squads. Naruto was certain that with the battery of techniques he had now, thanks to Kakashi, and the fighting style he'd been working on, he could crush the entire outpost on his own.

Not that he would, of course. Naruto realized for the first time, as the team arrived at the gate, that despite the separation in their command structures, the samurai of Fire Country and ninja of Konoha all technically served the Fire Lord – in their own unique ways.

"You the shinobi backup we've been waiting for?" The gate guard muttered. Kakashi nodded, and the man relaxed slightly. Naruto couldn't help but sympathize – if even a single ninja could kill them all, how terrifying must the sight of four unknown ninjas approaching his outpost be?

"Wara-taichou's inside. He'll be glad for the backup – these bandits have been a pain." Kakashi nodded again and made his way inside. Naruto felt glad for the first time to be wearing his uniform – despite being barely more than a child, he felt that he could stand up before these older, armed men with a semblance of honor and respect. Naruto smelled the oil used to polish and sharpen blades and the horses stabled along the eastern wall as he entered. The samurai, looking tired but vigilant, kept their eyes on Team 7 as they cautiously cut through the small encampment to the stone building that took up the northeast corner of the outpost.

Inside, two of the samurai stood over a small table on which Naruto could see a map of the area with several markings on it. He could immediately identify where the outpost itself was, along with the nearest town. Several small red pins near and along the road seemed to mark the bandits' attacks, and Naruto counted eight of them. The older of the two samurai, himself only around Kakashi's age, stepped forward to bow.

"Jounin-sama, it's good that you came. I am Hakase Wara, commander of this squad – we were assigned to this outpost to find these bandits, but they've been wily. I hope you have more luck than we."

Kakashi nodded absently, his eye already passing over the map. He turned to the team, and Naruto instinctively knew that a 'lesson' was coming. "You three have had enough time to look at the map. Turn around." They did, facing the wall. Kakashi's voice rang out.

"How many attacks, and in what pattern?" Sakura answered first.

"Eight, Kakashi-sensei. They've been striking from the south, based on the spread – that they haven't been seen or caught in the act rules out the north, and the town to the east has been victimized, so they're hardly likely to be working with the bandits. West leads to an open plain where they'd be easily spotted and cut down, so they must be south."

Naruto knew by the choking noise coming from Wara that they'd already gotten further than the samurai. Still, Kakashi had drilled basic tactics into them fairly hard – if the samurai was surprised already, he was going to continue to be for a while.

"Good. Sasuke, the rough distance from the road to the camp, and the number of bandits, based on the caravans listed in the mission scroll?" Sasuke spoke up instantly.

"Since the south side of the road has a lot of tree growth, most particularly an old-growth grove about half a kilometer away from the road, the bandits are probably hiding just north of that distance – that way they can abandon camp and escape into the grove if pursuers come. The third caravan had four mercenary guards and the sixth caravan eight, but there appeared to be only minimal fighting needed to defeat them. The bandits must have had a significant numerical advantage, but too many and the loot from the second caravan would have been too little to be worthwhile. I estimate between twenty and thirty bandits."

Kakashi nodded again, looking back to the map. Naruto thought furiously, knowing already what his question would be. He swallowed back what felt like burning bile.

"Naruto – based on your teammates' information, what do you think is the best plan?" Naruto nodded determinedly. He had to answer his teacher's question – and to succeed on this mission. These bandits were bad people who'd killed innocents. They deserved what was coming to them.

"Assuming thirty bandits, roughly half a kilometer south of the road, probably amongst the trees, they'll need a fairly well-settled, stationary camp. I suggest we move in on them with stealth to scout routes of entry. Once we identify the location of the bandits' leader, we wait until the camp rests and take out their lookouts all at once. Then it's a simple matter of killing the leader and spreading from there to take as many out silently as possible – but if we think someone is going to signal the camp, we break out everything in our arsenal and clean the place out." Naruto finished and continued staring at the wall, analyzing tiny cracks and divots in the stonework.

The room was silent for a moment as everyone absorbed Naruto's plan, before Wara coughed awkwardly.

"I… guess I'll leave you to it, then." Naruto heard him and the other samurai exit, leaving Kakashi's team alone in the room. He turned around, as did Sakura and Sasuke. Kakashi was leaning over the table again.

"Team… I won't lie. Your first kills are hard. Your second kills are harder. Your third one will be easier – and then it just goes downhill from there." Kakashi clenched his fist, and Naruto absently wondered how many people had met their ends by that hand. It had to be at least dozens. "Don't allow your humanity to escape you – if you feel it getting too easy, talk to someone. Talk to me, to your teammates, to a counsellor. Anyone."

Naruto nodded, even as his teammates did the same. Team 7 exited the room as silently as they had entered, making their way back through the camp. The feeling was different now – the samurais' wary dislike had turned into a sort of fear, and Naruto couldn't help but understand – how else should one feel around mere children taught to plan and kill with such efficiency?

Once they'd cleared the outpost, Kakashi turned back to his team. "Now, normally, as the Jounin, I'd be in charge of this mission – however, one of the most important tasks I have is to prepare all of you for command – so select amongst yourselves. Who should lead?" Sakura and Sasuke immediately looked at Naruto, who started in surprise.

"Wait, me?" Sasuke smirked.

"Who else?" Sakura agreed.

"You came up with the plan, Naruto, and you'll probably adapt fastest if something changes." Kakashi nodded.

"That's settled then. What should we all do then, mini-taichou?" Naruto growled.

"Fine, I'll do it. OK, Sasuke said that the bandits are probably about half a kilometer south of the road near the old growth, right? It looked like that grove grew near the road for about six kilometers – let's cover that zone and find the bandits first. Split in twos – I'll go with Sasuke, and Sakura can go with Kakashi-sensei." The other nodded and the pairs split up, moving into the trees. Bounding from tree to tree, using chakra to push off one and catch hold of the next was an exhilarating way to travel that Kakashi had taught the team soon after they'd all mastered tree climbing, and it was one of the fastest ways to move in Fire Country, where thick forests were comparatively common.

Barely minutes later, the team found itself on the edge of the old growth forest, where huge old trees dozens of meters high stood, monolithic and grand. Thick, sharp-smelling sap had crusted on the sides and in the crevices of the bark, and each tree was a habitat for dozens of animals. The branches knit together in a thick network of layers high above the ground, and as the team scrambled up the side, they could see the bushes and loam far below.

Naruto signed to Sasuke to hold his position and slid around the side of the tree to where he could see Kakashi and Sakura, two trees deeper into the thicket. He signaled them to move forward along the edge of the treeline, and motioned Sasuke to join him. Warily, the entire team moved along the branches, peering at the ground below.

Four kilometers and just over an hour later, Sasuke grabbed Naruto's shoulder. The blonde turned around, seeing Sasuke's eyes aglow with the Sharingan and staring at the ground. Naruto didn't understand for a few seconds, and then spotted a human figure – and more. Well-camouflaged against the low-lying brush were a series of tent-like dwellings, almost certainly the bandit camp. Naruto flashed appropriate signs to Kakashi and Sakura. The two approached, and soon Team 7 was clustered on a single branch like a flock of ungainly birds.

Sasuke looked to Naruto, who frowned down at the bandits. There were only a few bandits visible, because of the canopy-like covering of leaves and branches in the way. Naruto motioned the team to move lower – though doing so risked the bandits spotting the ninjas, Naruto thought it was worth it to get a better look at their targets.

Moving to the lowest layer of branches, about ten meters off the ground; Naruto peered down at the bandits' tents. The structures had been covered with leaves and branches both to brace them and to hide them better, but Naruto counted six fairly large structures, each probably containing three to four bandits. There was also a larger tent near the center-south portion of the camp. Naruto watched it carefully – it either held some sort of importance as the leader's structure, or was used for something else he couldn't identify.

Naruto dug his hand into his backpack, fishing out a pen and notebook. He quickly sketched the enemy camp and drew a grid over it, quickly marking down sets of coordinates along the side. His teammates moved close to look over his drawing – he'd subdivided the camp into nine segments – each tent taking up one space and the larger tent taking up two and part of a third. An open space near the center held a fire in a carefully cleared pit, and resin torches sat on the edges of the camp, lighting the darkness of the forest dusk.

Naruto looked to the horizon, where through the trees he could barely see the sun's last sliver disappearing below the western skyline. He signed to the team that their attack would wait until nightfall, and they spread out.

Once he'd found a sturdy branch to rest on, Naruto rummaged in his pack again, taking his canteen and a ration bar out. His mouth rebelled as he bit into the thick, dry surface. Naruto grimaced.

Night couldn't come soon enough.

Over the next few hours, the sky grew dark, then darker – the only light came from the bandits' fires far below, a dim flickering to the ninja sitting above them. Naruto napped fitfully after eating his paltry dinner, dreaming of hot, savory ramen. His eyes snapped open as he felt a light touch on his shoulder – Sasuke, as it turned out. He signed to Naruto that the camp below was asleep besides their lookouts, and the blonde sat up, rubbing his eyes. Sakura hopped down a minute later, Kakashi behind her. They all looked down to where the bandits slumbered in blissful ignorance, and Naruto swallowed a lump that had grown in his throat. Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder, and Naruto faked a grin before taking out his map again.

Naruto began pointing to Kakashi, but the jounin slowly shook his head, and motioned to the genin – Naruto didn't understand for a moment. It dawned on him suddenly that Kakashi was again using this as a learning opportunity – he would sit back and watch his genin accomplish the mission – and would only step in if the genin required support.

Naruto nodded at this and sketched out a plan – Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura would each drop down on one of the guards. Naruto himself would slip into the leader's tent and dispose of him while Sakura and Sasuke, beginning on opposite sides of the camp, would move through the tents in a clockwise fashion, clearing the bandits out.

With Sasuke's and Sakura's quiet agreement, the plan was set, and Kakashi vanished into the branches beyond as the genin spread out over the camp.

* * *

Sasuke sat on a branch over the enemy lookout, filled with significantly more turmoil than he'd been willing to show. He went through the plan in his head again, but a very different sequence kept interrupting it.

'_If you don't kill the bandits, you'll never be able to kill Him. He'd killed dozens by your age._'

Sasuke shook his head slightly – he didn't have time to worry about that now. All he had to do was carry out his portion of the mission and trust that his teammates would be able to carry out theirs. With a quiet sigh, he waited for the signal. A minute later, he saw it – a tiny flash of light in the darkness of the canopy – Naruto had simply cracked the flint from his fire kit against a kunai. The tiny flash wasn't enough to light a fire, especially without any ready fuel – but it was plenty to signal the attack.

Sasuke slipped from the branch, feeling the air rush past his face as he fell – he sent chakra to his feet to cushion the nearly ten-meter fall, landing solidly on the lookout's back. The air rushed from the woman's chest in a gush, and Sasuke found his hand trembling slightly as he pulled a kunai out – but found that it was unnecessary. His fall had landed his feet directly on the woman's back and neck – and had left her spine snapped viciously in both locations under his weight. Perhaps with immediate attention she might be able to survive, but Sasuke knew she'd get none. He drew in a shuddering breath, looking at the mucus and blood eking from the soon-to-be-corpse's mouth. Her eyes were dead, but still glinted in the light of the nearby torch.

There wasn't time for this. Sasuke blinked hard, adjusted his grip on his kunai, and moved towards the nearest tent.

There was more killing to be done.

* * *

Rather than falling from her tree, Sakura had slipped down its side and hid behind its enormous trunk. As she saw Naruto's signal, she stole around the side, behind the lookout. He seemed fairly young, probably only half a dozen years older than Sakura herself. He was looking away from here, out into the woods, probably thinking about nothing at all.

Or perhaps he was thinking about his family, Sakura's mind whispered nastily. Perhaps he had a family that would miss him. That Sakura would take him from. She ruthlessly shoved the thoughts away – her inner self could think what it wanted – she had a job to do. This man had aided in killing innocents himself – she remembered the pictures of the raided caravans, smoke curling into the air above them.

Sakura stealthily slipped behind the man and focused chakra into her hands, arms, and wrists. Kabuto had taught her and Hinata that the 'neck snaps' often seen in movies were far more difficult than they were made to appear – but with the application of chakra, well within the realm of plausibility. Such an attack, he'd pointed out, was still effective, being fast and moderately clean – if only likely to work against a non-shinobi target.

All at once, Sakura wrapped one arm over the front of her target's head – that was the way she had to think of the figure in her arms – a target. Not a human being, but a subject. Her mind closed down as one hand wrapped over the target's mouth and jaw, the other digging into the side of the skull - the parietal, her lessons said. Before the target could even flinch, her fingers, wrapped around the jaw – mandible – pulled with immense force matched by the mirroring pull from her other hand – and with a loud, dry SNAP the target's head had turned practically all the way around, chin well past his shoulder. Sakura had only a moment to look into the dead, shocked eyes before she dropped him.

She stared, but only felt numb. Drawing a kunai from her pouch, she automatically lurched forward.

The mission wasn't over yet.

* * *

After sending the signal, Naruto stuffed the flint back into his pouch and slid down the side of the tree, using a technique he'd reverse engineered – by holding just tightly enough to the tree to remain against it, but not enough to be stationary, he was able to slid down its side like it was made of ice. While in Konoha it had been a game, sliding down the sides of buildings or trees when he was bored, it was deadly serious now.

The lookout nearest him was cursing as he tried to re-light a nearby torch. In the darkness, with only the light from the central fire casting eerie shadows over him, the man was a sitting duck for Naruto, who slipped around behind him. Yet Naruto, kunai held tightly and eyes wide, did not attack.

Who was this man? Was Naruto certain that he deserved death? Could Naruto say he was any better than the bandits themselves if he slaughtered them with his superior skill and power? Naruto wondered as he stared at the lookout's back. Somehow, no matter what Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke had said, standing here, he didn't know whether he could justify the simple motion that would be necessary.

But if he didn't attack, what did that mean? Sakura and Sasuke would be in danger. The mission would be in danger – and if the team failed, these bandits could go on murdering innocents, leaving families broken and bereaved. By not attacking, Naruto would be responsible for everything these bandits did in the future.

So what to do? To kill those far below him in skill from surprise, or to allow them to continue their on their murderous path? Naruto realized that the answer was simple – it all came back to that original question – what did it mean to be a ninja? To Naruto, it had once meant "being strong and trying to become Hokage." Then it had become "being strong to protect my friends and trying to become Hokage." Now it was "being strong to protect my friends and my people and trying to become Hokage."

And wasn't that what being Hokage was about? Protecting everyone in Konoha and facing down every threat that stood in the way of the village's continued prosperity? What would a Hokage do?

'_What would the Yondaime do?_' Naruto thought.

And the answer was clear. Even as the man had succeeded in lighting the torch and began to turn around, Naruto took a deep breath and allowed his hand to plunge forward. The motion, backed by chakra-enhanced muscle, was almost too easy – the steel of his kunai entered under the man's eye, straight through the lookout's cheekbone, and Naruto felt blood spatter onto his hand. He saw the man's mouth opening and placed his other hand over it as he pushed his kunai deeper in, and then twisted. In that moment, the light flickered out of the lookout's eyes and Naruto withdrew his blade.

And it was over. Naruto stared at the body before him, blood on his hands, on his sleeves, and all over his ninja sandals and toes. It continued to pour out of the corpse's ruined face. Naruto didn't have time to think further as he heard a gasp behind him. He spun to see another bandit. How long had he loitered? The other bandit's mouth opened and Naruto lifted his kunai, but it was too late as the shout left his target's throat just before his flung kunai entered it.

"Attack! We're being -"

* * *

Sasuke had moved through the first tent, with three bandits in it, and had silently slit each one's throat – however, just as he entered the second tent, the cry echoed through the camp. Sasuke froze for a half-second as the four bandits in this tent snapped awake. Two were slower about their wits, but the others nearest Sasuke spotted him and were on the move. Springing from their bedrolls, a rusty-looking machete and an axe came up. Sasuke remembered Naruto's plan.

'… _Break out everything in our arsenal_…' Sasuke's hands flashed through several hand seals, and even as the bandits' eyes widened in horror at what they were facing, Sasuke lifted his hands to his mouth in a Tiger seal.

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!**" The technique that had failed so abjectly against Kakashi came to far greater fruition here as Sasuke backpedaled from the tent. The fire raced from his mouth in a roaring blast and set the men and the interior of the tent alight, and their screams echoed horribly in his head. Sasuke automatically held the jet on target for a few seconds, allowing it to consume everything inside the tent, then released the technique.

While the tent itself had smoldered, the hardy leather material and lack of airflow once the oxygen inside the tent was extinguished kept the actual structure from lighting, thankfully. Sasuke turned to the third tent he'd been slated to attack even as four more bandits came stumbling out, weapons in hand and searching wildly. One spotted Sasuke and roared, but Sasuke's hands were already moving.

"**Raiton: Byakurai no Jutsu**" Sasuke raised his pointer fingers, pressed together along their lengths – and from their tips, a blast of white lightning scorched through the air. The moment it struck the foremost of the bandits, he screamed and twitched for a moment as the lightning cooked his brain and mucous membranes, and Sasuke held the technique, knowing the sight would paralyze the other bandits. The moment the technique ended, Sasuke's hands were on the move again. He could feel his chakra flagging after having been used all day and all evening to speed his movement, and decided to keep the rest in reserve. Instead, he drew a pair of kunai, cursing at their relatively short length.

He really needed a better weapon.

* * *

Sakura had gone about her targets a different way, smothering the two in the first tent she'd entered with pillows. It was just as she exited this tent that the cry rang out. Sakura immediately ducked back into the tent full of corpses, closing the flaps despite the smell of voided bowels. She heard the voices of the other bandits echoing, along with shouts and roaring techniques from Sasuke's and Naruto's sections of the camp. Sakura heard footsteps rapidly approaching her tent and hid behind a crude chest.

A bandit woman stuck her head through the tent flap, calling at the apparently-unconscious figures on the bed. "Hey! Morons! We're under attack – get up!" When they didn't, the woman curiously stepped into the tent, and Sakura struck. Leaping up and channeling as much chakra as she could manage into her fist, she landed a punch to the back of the woman's head.

What she hadn't expected, though, was for the head itself to pulp dramatically, shattering under the blow in such a way as to send blood and brain matter flying against the walls of the tent – and onto Sakura. She froze, feeling a queasy twist in her stomach, and backed away, out of the tent.

"Hey, bitch, you get – hey wait! Get her!" Sakura spun as the other six bandits who had come from the tents nearby approached her, weapons raised. She quickly tried to figure out how to deal with them, and flashed through several seals.

"**Doton: Kengan no Jutsu!**" Smashing her fist into the ground, stone and earth climbed up her arm to create a huge gauntleted fist that Sakura lifted. The bandits, clearly intimidated, stepped back, but Sakura wasn't about to let them. With a battle cry, the pink-haired girl lunged forward and smashed her fist into the first bandit, hurling him backward through the tent behind him, then threw the kunai she'd withdrawn with her other hand. Before the fallen man could look up to dodge or block, the weapon had embedded itself through his forehead.

With only her heavy earthen arm and the weapons in her pouch, Sakura glared at the other bandits, daring them to approach.

And secretly hoping they didn't.

* * *

The moment after Naruto's kunai had slain the bandit who'd cried out, Naruto was already on the move, knowing it was too late to continue moving stealthily – the battle was on. He rushed to the large tent in the middle of the bandit encampment, where two particularly burly bandits, one short, one tall, were already cursing as they rushed out. Naruto charged at them, flashing through several seals ending with the Dog seal.

"**Fuuton: Renkuudan no Jutsu!"** With a gasped exhalation, a softball-sized orb of wind, visible with its spinning, flashed forward and smashed into one of the bandits, who was flung to the ground, his chest indented. As he hacked blood, Naruto moved through a few seals again before crying the name of his favorite technique.

"**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!" Four clones of the blonde ninja appeared, and all grinned identically. With his new fighting style, his clones had become exponentially more dangerous – rather than just leaping about like idiots, they attacked with purpose. Two moved towards each of the bandits as Naruto moved into the tent itself. Knowing he'd receive his clones' memories if they were dispelled, he ignored the vicious fighting outside.

Inside the tent, he came face-to face with a strange scene – a tall, burly man with a thick beard and what looked like scavenged samurai armor faced him, having just donned said armor. The man, who Naruto took to be the head of the bandits, had a rather more luxurious living space than his subordinates – but what really drew Naruto's attention was the unconscious girl lying on a cot in the corner of the tent. Her hands were tied to the cot's frame – and Naruto frowned deeply.

'_I don't remember reading or hearing anything about someone missing…_'

"Who the hell are you, kid? I'm gonna mutilate you for attacking my camp!" The armored man roared at him. Naruto's face fell into a snarl.

"You're gonna mutilate me? I've beat people a hundred times scarier than you, asshole! Come get a piece!" Naruto wasn't certain that was true, since despite Mizuki being a chuunin he'd turned out to be something of a wimp – but it was the principle that counted, he supposed. He couldn't let some non-shinobi bandit threaten him!

The bandit leader moved forward with another war cry, swinging a slightly battered-looking katana at Naruto's head, but Naruto was both faster and more skilled. Having moved into his foe's reach, Naruto started with a vicious knee strike that crushed against the bandit's armor, and followed with a blow to the face that sent blood, spittle, and teeth flying. Naruto turned the punch into a grab, using his hold on the man's ear and hair to leverage his head into the man's face, knocking him back. The bandit recovered enough to swipe at him again, but Naruto had already darted away.

The enraged criminal hissed, "I'm going to tear your corpse apart, boy," but Naruto almost pitied the man. How stupid could he be? Despite apparently leading several successful attacks on caravans, this bandit leader couldn't put two and two together to make "I'm screwed."

Probably better, to be honest, Naruto mused. He drew a kunai, and dashed forward again. The bandit leader stabbed hard directly at Naruto's face – but Naruto had formed three seals as he moved.

"**Kawarimi no Jutsu**!" In a flicker, the stab struck only the small lantern that had been at the man's bedside, shattering it and leaving him howling in pain from the glass shards in his hand and burns on his fingers. Naruto, on the other hand, was behind him.

This time, he didn't hesitate.

* * *

Sasuke was already beginning to hate bandits. They had shown no compunctions about attacking a boy half their size three-against-one with weapons that had a good deal of reach on him. If he hadn't had to run half the distance of Fire Country in two days, Sasuke supposed he'd have torn them and their whole band apart – but with limited chakra left, he was left parrying their clumsy blows with a kunai in each hand.

The cries from around the camp clearly indicated that his teammates were fighting their own battles, and Sasuke briefly wondered if he should try to escape and team up with one of them. It was that at that moment that a figure spun through the air and smashed into one of the bandits he'd been fighting.

"How's that for an entry!" Naruto landed in front of him, the bandit he'd struck falling back with a howl of pain. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You already finish up in the leader's tent?" Naruto smirked.

"Nah, the boss and some others are taking care of it – I'm here to help you out!" Sasuke found himself simultaneously frustrated that Naruto had thought he'd need help and grateful – this fight would have been far more painful if he'd continued alone. He settled for a twist of the lips.

"Well, let's get helping then." Sasuke turned back to the confused bandits, and made a hand sign. Naruto – or Naruto's clone, he supposed, just nodded and both began forming hand seals. Though one of the bandits immediately tried to strike out, the techniques were complete before the bandits were upon them.

"**Fuuton: Daitoppa no Jutsu**!"

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu**!" Even as the powerful blast of wind began to emanate from Naruto, Sasuke's fire combined with it – and in a sudden moment, everything was fire. A blast of flames so hot it instantly scorched the very air around them whooshed forward, torching all three bandits with hardly a moment for them to scream. The tent behind them was aflame, and Naruto's clone gave a tired sigh.

"Well, that was it for me. I guess I'm going to pop and let the boss know what happened!" The clone disappeared, leaving Sasuke looking at the flaming tent.

In the middle of a forest.

* * *

Sakura in the meanwhile, had been doing marginally better. Though she bore several slight cuts from the five bandits she'd started with, she was down to three, having crushed one against a tree with her stony fist and having put another kunai in a second foe's guts. Still, the remaining three had been more cautious, and she was growing very tired – her chakra reservoir was essentially empty, and soon she'd have to release the stone fist technique – and then she'd be done for.

However, even as she and the bandits faced off for another clash, Naruto came charging into the fight, already hurling a kunai and flashing through several hand seals.

"**Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**" The single knife Naruto had thrown multiplied into a dozen, and two of the bandits facing her barely had time to widen their eyes before they were perforated, weapons plunging into their heads, necks, and arms. They were dead before they hit the ground – and even as the third bandit looked down at his companions in shock, Sakura had closed in on him. With a cry, she smashed her stony fist into his chest and chin, hurling him back and up. Leaping into the air, she landed on the man fist-first, crushing his rib cage and ending the fight.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! The boss is done over at the leader's tent, so he sent us to help you and Sasuke!" Sakura graced the clone with a smile, thankful for its (his?) timely arrival.

"Thank you, uh… clone-san. Please let Naruto know I'll be there in a moment." The clone smiled and popped in a puff of smoke.

Sakura sighed and let the earth fist recede. Without looking at the devastation she had wrought on the camp, she strode away.

* * *

In the leader's tent, Naruto, his clones having vanished, awaited his teammates while staring at the girl in the corner. His face held a hard frown – who was she? Her face was delicate – very pretty, he supposed. She was a few years older than him – perhaps sixteen or so, and had long, rich brown hair. She wore fancy, expensive clothing, and her unmarked, silky skin led him to believe she was neither a shinobi nor someone who did any sort of work for a living.

Sasuke strode in, ashes marking his face and singes on his arms and clothing. He bore a scowl. "Did you really have to leave me to put out the fire, Naruto? I don't know any water techniques, you know." Naruto shrugged.

"I don't either, and I figured you'd dealt with fires before." Sasuke joined him looking at the girl.

"Who do you think she is?" Naruto shrugged, and Sasuke bit his lip.

"Didn't the mission say…"

"Yeah." And Naruto was brought back to his original concern – the mission had said to eliminate the bandit camp. Did that include this girl? But the bandits hadn't been mentioned to have taken any captives – so was she one of them? Sakura was the last of the team to arrive, looking pale and drawn. She gave the girl a single glance before turning to Naruto.

"So, what should we do with her?" Naruto just shrugged again. The mission said to eliminate… but she didn't SEEM to be a bandit… so what? Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, clearly guessing at Naruto's turmoil.

"Maybe we could wait until she wakes up and find out who she is? Then, if she's one of the bandits…" Sasuke shifted uncomfortably.

Naruto sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

This hadn't been at all what he'd bargained for.

* * *

**Technique Library**: Doton: Kengan no Jutsu (Stone Fist Technique): A B-ranked Earth ninjutsu which allows the user to draw stone and soil around their fist to create a powerful gauntlet. Not only does the stone gauntlet protect the user's fist from untoward effects, but it seems to weigh little or nothing to the user – amplifying the force delivered by a blow immensely, since the user.

Fuuton: Renkuudan no Jutsu (Drilling Air Bullet Technique): An A-ranked Wind ninjutsu which fires one or more highly compressed balls of air from the user's mouth. The expelled projectiles spin rapidly and explode with violent force, delivering immense damage, though how much depends on how long the user prepares the technique and how much chakra is infused into the bullet. Some skilled users can fire several bullets in sequence.

Fuuton: Daitoppa no Jutsu (Great Breakthrough Technique): A C-ranked Wind ninjutsu which creates creates a sudden fust of wind, the scale of which depends on the user's skill and the amount of chakra infused into the air. Typically the wind is at least powerful enough to send foes tumbling away – the chakra infused in the air allows the technique to be lit on fire, if the user or another follows this technique with a fire technique.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

And we're back to our proper chronology at last! I hope you're enjoying Team 7's new 'first C-ranked mission' – I figured that given the new Team 7, new lessons needed to be learned from it. Whereas the team in canon didn't really have any teamwork, and needed to learn to work together; this team needs to learn some more advanced lessons… So, any guesses on what's going on? Don't wrack your brains – I haven't given you all the information yet, and this mission will conclude in the next chapter!

A couple of replies to selected reviews (and again, thank you very much to everyone who's reviewed so far):

_theIrishWriter_: Naturally there are things about characters' pasts and presents that I can't say – but I can say is that something about what I've already told you of Kizashi is indeed responsible for his open-mindedness. Good luck on the mini-mystery!

_Freya's Doll_: I actually like all the members of Team 7 when kept together – as much as Kakashi neglected being a teacher and Sakura didn't actually do anything until the Chuunin Exams, they could easily have been rebuilt into better characters – which is one of my major goals here.

_Shae Vizla_: Pretty good summary – I'll admit, one of my major concerns is that the team is actually growing TOO fast – that their character flaws aren't showing through as much anymore, which can limit the story-telling. As you can see in this chapter, I've let a little more of the characters' flaws show. They're still kids with issues – just issues they're being helped with and that they're working on fixing.

_Poppy Grave Dreams_: Kabuto is… creepy. Just that. His mentoring of Sakura and Hinata is not incidental, and will come up again. Sakura will, indeed, be face-palming more by the end of this story. One of my major annoyances with the series is that characters besides Team 7 just sort of float in and out whenever the plot needs them – it's actually true of Harry Potter too. These rich worlds just get so focused on a couple people that you never see their interactions with everyone else around them. Thus, the social networking Team 7 has gotten up to.

As to the Wave mission, it'll reappear – I know people have gotten tired of it, but certain things about it are important (though never revisited in the series itself, ironically). The fact that Wave used to be the home of Naruto's mother's clan, for example – and the people he meets there. However, it won't be around for a while, so don't worry too much.

_The Golden Lilys Secret_: Happy Birthday!

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain

* * *

EDIT (8/13/14): I have gone through the first five chapters and added a brief description of each new technique used in those chapters, as per Issue (B) from the Author's Note of Chapter 4. Additionally, I have decided to simply seed Issue (A) in-character, since seeing the characters' growth as it is used I find to be more interesting - I'm sorry, to those who weren't in favor of that option. Take comfort in knowing that the characters' growth will be fairly visible as things happen.

I am still contemplating what to do regarding Issue (C) - perhaps I'll simply seed the relevant information as I go, or include it in my author's page bio? What do you think?


	6. Chapter 6: Underneath the Underneath

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 14, 2014

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 6: Underneath the Underneath**

_Wherein the team saves a princess, discovers an unpleasant truth, and begins a new mission._

* * *

"_Maybe we could wait until she wakes up and find out who she is? Then, if she's one of the bandits…" Sasuke shifted uncomfortably._

_Naruto sighed, feeling a headache coming on._

_This hadn't been at all what he'd bargained for._

The three genin did not have to wait long, for Sakura's medical technique worked as readily on poisons and drugs as it did on more visible injuries. The girl groaned and slowly sat up, raising a hand to her forehead. Naruto had removed her binds, and her eyelashes fluttered across bright, blue-green orbs. She looked up with a slightly confused look, before shuddering. At the sight of the three young ninjas, her eyes welled. Naruto stepped forward slightly.

"No, uh… miss, don't. You're safe now – we're ninjas from Konoha – my name is Uzumaki Naruto. Can you tell us how you got here?" Naruto furiously fought away the thought that the girl wasn't necessarily safe if she turned out to be one of the bandits or connected with them somehow. That was a concern for later.

The girl spoke, drawing stilted breaths between half-sobs. "I… My name is Asahina Midori; the group I was travelling with was… was attacked while we were travelling to Ka-Shi…"

The genin all drew a breath at once – Ka-Shi, Fire City, was the capital of Fire Country. For an attractive young woman dressed well to be travelling there drew certain conclusions to mind.

Sakura ventured a guess, "Midori-san; was your family amongst those travelling with you? Or… is there someone we can contact regarding… this?" Midori, still halfway to weeping, shook her head, and then nodded. "Yes… my… my father is the Fire Lord's chancellor… Could you take me to him?" Stars danced in Naruto's eyes – rescuing a princess – or close to one – on his very first mission out of the village! Sasuke motioned for the team to step out of the tent, though, and Naruto maintained enough decorum to bow to the girl and follow.

Outside the tent, Sasuke took no time at all to turn to the others. "So? What should we do?" Naruto was agape.

"What do you mean 'what should we do?' We take her to Ka-Shi! We got rid of the bandits, and now we've freed a prisoner! Why wouldn't we?" Sakura nodded in agreement, though with less force, but Sasuke shook his head slightly.

"I mean, she wasn't in our mission scroll at all – you'd think this would have been assigned a B-rank if it involved retrieving someone of such importance, right?" Naruto merely shrugged.

"Who knows? Maybe she was kidnapped after the mission was handed in! Or, well, civilians travel slow – maybe she wasn't expected in the capital for a while?"

It was Sakura who settled the debate. "Kakashi-sensei is probably watching. This one is above our pay-grade, I'd say." Sure enough, even as she spoke, a swirl of the shredded leaves and loam from the ground spun into the air, revealing Kakashi himself. He nodded at the genin and headed into the tent. They followed.

"Ah, Midori-hime, was it? I am Elite Jounin Hatake Kakashi of Konoha – Naruto and his companions are my students." Midori stood on wobbly legs and bowed with widened eyes – even to those of the court, the exalted rank of 'elite jounin' was known to signify exceptional skill. Kakashi continued.

"Our mission was to eliminate these bandits – there was no mention of you – why might that have been?" Midori shook her head.

"I can only presume, Hatake-san, that my kidnapping occurred after the mission had been assigned. I only wish to go home now – if compensation is the issue -" Naruto interrupted.

"No way! Midori-hime, you're a citizen of Fire Country, and a victim of these bandits – we can talk about that other stuff afterwards, when you've gotten to the capital safely!" Naruto's gallant offer put a hesitant smile on Midori's face, and she bowed.

"I am most grateful to you, Naruto-san. I am glad there are such honorable men in the service of Konoha." Kakashi smiled and nodded, motioning Sakura to help the older girl get herself ready. As the boys followed Kakashi out of the tent, Naruto nervously looked at Kakashi.

"Was that all right, Kakashi-sensei? I just thought, since it wasn't a particularly dangerous task and would make Konoha look good and all…" Kakashi merely shrugged.

"Meh, it's fine. We'll take the lady back home. Gather your things and we'll get back to the road to rest." As Kakashi strode away, Sasuke turned to Naruto with narrowed eyes.

"You could have warned us." Naruto winced.

"It just came to mind! I mean, I wasn't going to let some lady of the court – practically a princess – get left out here, or in that grubby little army camp!" Sasuke still looked angry.

"Tell the truth – none of what you said to Kakashi was why you wanted to help the girl."

"I wasn't -"

"No. You just thought it was the 'right thing,' right?" Naruto was silent for a moment before nodded slowly. Sasuke looked satisfied.

"That's what I thought. Whatever, what you said was true – bringing the chancellor's daughter to him would definitely make us look good – but don't you think there's something fishy?" Sasuke sent a piercing look in the direction Kakashi had left, and Naruto frowned.

"I guess? Like what?" Sakura exited the tent.

"Midori-hime will be ready in a minute. And yes, Sasuke, I think something's fishy – Kakashi-sensei wouldn't have given in so easily – especially without turning it into some kind of lesson – unless there was something up." Naruto nodded at this, looking displeased.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about that. Sensei will tell us what he wants us to know, when he wants us to know it – and until then, all we can do is play along." The genin all nodded at this.

* * *

Being late at night, the team set up camp just as they reached the road. Naruto broke a branch off of a tree and used it to pitch his cloak like a lean-to, providing Midori a modicum of shelter. Duties were delegated amongst the genin, and they split off on their way.

Sasuke had been assigned to catch some fish, since their rations were hardly palatable for ordinary consumption. He'd made his way to the river, and gathered chakra to his hand. Swiping into the water, he drew out a wriggling fish, staring at it.

The life in the fish slowly ebbed as it floundered in his grip – was that same life that he had dragged from the woman he'd crushed, and the other men he'd killed? Sasuke watched the creature's gills flutter in the harsh night air, and felt a sense of nausea that he fought back. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and spun to face Kakashi.

"Something troubling you, Sasuke?" Sasuke shook his head, but Kakashi seemed to understand nonetheless, and took a seat on the riverbank, plucking the fish from Sasuke's hand and dropping it on the grass.

"You know, I was just over half your age – only seven – when I made my first kill. It was during the lead-up to the Third War, when Stone-nin were pushing at our borders. Sandaime-sama had ordered all our teams to be on the alert. I was with Minato-sensei – he wasn't the Yondaime yet – and on the way back from a mission we ran into some refugees from Grass Country. They'd turned to banditry, and even though we were ninjas, we were the first prey they'd had in weeks. They were starving, and one man and a child seemed like easy targets." Kakashi broke off, shaking his head.

Sasuke realized he'd sat down next to Kakashi, and continued listening as the older man picked up the story again. "We only had to kill two to make the others turn and run – I threw a kunai – it almost seemed too easy, and I half expected the man to dodge it – but it was a good throw – took him in the eye." Sasuke nodded. The eye was the best place after the back of the head for a kunai strike, he remembered. Kakashi turned to Sasuke at this.

"I said it before – you don't need to bottle up your feelings from having killed – it happens. We're ninja, but we're people too – and seeing other people dead, thanks to us, is probably one of the hardest parts of the job – or it should be, at least." Sasuke frowned at this.

"But… if it's so hard how can we…? I mean, sometimes, ninja just kill and kill…" It was easy for Kakashi to realize what Sasuke was thinking, especially as the boy's face darkened.

"Our duties as ninja create for us a dark and grim place deep within ourselves. At the worst of times, some ninja fall into that place and cannot crawl out, and while there they do terrible things. It is most important that we not fall into that place ourselves, Sasuke – or we forget what makes us human." Sasuke twitched.

"Is it really that simple? That he – that we lose our minds to it all? How can we not?! I mean, it's so easy – a few moves and…" Sasuke looked upset, and Kakashi sighed deeply.

"It IS easy. To those trained as well as we have been, killing is the easiest of things. But instead of thinking about how easy it might be to kill, think instead about how hard it is to spare a drop of mercy – it is that strength that we should strive for. After all, you don't want to be weak, do you?"

Sasuke could immediately see through Kakashi's ploy, but it was effective nonetheless, and he found himself smiling slightly. Though he dropped the smile, he thought about it – yes, it was true – though He had done something horrendous, terrible, it had been so easy for him – with all his strength. How much stronger would Sasuke be if he restrained his ability to do the same, and grew to defeat Him nonetheless?

"Thank you, Sensei." Kakashi hummed as he stood up, leaving Sasuke to his fishing.

* * *

Sakura had been assigned to collect the firewood needed for a warm fire that'd last all night – but had barely gotten into the woods when the nauseous feeling she'd kept cooped up in her mind flew back into her mouth. She leaned over; expelling the remnants of the ration bar she'd eaten as she prepared for the mission, and felt a hand drawing a soothing circle on her back.

"Got it all out?" Kakashi's voice, usually bored, or at best amused, seemed focused and serious now. Sakura tried to respond, but instead saw flashes of the dead eyes she'd left on the boy she'd first killed, and the pulped, horrible remnants of brain on her uniform, and retched again.

Kakashi nodded sympathetically. "It's tough. The first person I killed wasn't close to me – he took a kunai in the eye – but the blood splattered near my feet. I still remember the smell." Sakura thought about the oxidized smell of the blood she'd seen, saw the rusty stains on her green dress, and gagged.

"It… ugh… does it ever get easier?" Sakura thought about the cadavers she had worked with in the hospital, the sick patients, and imagined them all as dead beneath her hand. Her legs trembled. Kakashi merely shrugged.

"It does – but that's when you have to worry. Something like that – you don't WANT it to feel easy." Sakura understood this immediately. As a medic-nin, she was sworn to protect and help those who were sick and injured – well, maybe not yet, but once she was certified. She couldn't imagine Kabuto's hands, or Hinata's hands, twisting a man's throat. Had either of them killed? Kabuto must have. Maybe he'd have some suggestions.

"If… it ever feels easy, what should I do?" Sakura looked to Kakashi, who shook his head slightly.

"There are people you can talk to – counsellors, your teammates -"

"No, sensei, you know what I mean." Kakashi stared at her for a moment, and then put a hand on her shoulder.

"When I was in the ANBU," Sakura started – she hadn't known Kakashi-sensei had once been in the ANBU Corps. She supposed it was obvious – his secrecy and taciturn nature, his focus on combat training and teamwork. "I used to be sent on combat and assassination missions all the time. One day, I was thinking about a mission, and realized I couldn't remember what my target looked like – only what his neck felt like under my knife."

Kakashi turned away at this. "I handed in my resignation the next day."

Sakura nodded at this, her face pale. "Then I know what I'll do, too."

And Kakashi gave her a smile.

* * *

While his teammates were off, Naruto had been left at the camp to set up the bedrolls, dig a shallow fire pit, and defend Midori. He'd gotten into a conversation with the girl, and was describing a particularly amusing incident during training.

"And then Sasuke squawked! Almost like a chicken – he just jumped up with his hair on fire, and that's when we learned that even if wind chakra supposedly is weak to fire chakra, you should never use a fire technique right into a windstorm!" Midori was reduced to helpless laughter at the image of the stolid young ninja she'd seen before running about with his head aflame.

"Oh, oh… that's a rather interesting image, Naruto-kun… But was Sasuke-san all right?" Naruto flopped down across the empty fire pit from her with a grin.

"Yeah, Sasuke was fine! I mean, Sakura hadn't started learning much of her medical stuff yet, but we had some medical cream, and once he got to the hospital it was a cinch. His hair was weird for a while, but it grew back fine." Midori chuckled, shivering slightly in the cool night air. Though it was late, the Fire Country never truly experienced chilly weather, and the clear night sky offered ample light from the shimmering stars and gibbous moon.

"It sounds like you have a great deal of fun, Naruto-kun. Do all ninjas, or is it just you?" Midori sounded like she was teasing, but Naruto answered earnestly.

"It's tons of fun! I mean, training is great, and I learn new stuff all the time – I feel like with Kakashi-sensei, I've gotten a hundred times stronger than I was in the Academy!" Naruto boasted. Midori shook her head.

"You seem strong, Naruto-kun – and you must be, especially if you defeated all those bandits. But what I meant is that you ninja seem to spend your time doing anything you want – you're so free…" Naruto was silent for a moment, remembering Ayame's words to him. Ninja were rather free – compared to civilians, they could travel fast and far, feel safe from practically any harm, and were beholden only to their own rules – after all, Naruto realized, what would the Fire Lord do if the Hokage chose to disobey? Naruto didn't know, but he thought Midori deserved an honest response.

"I guess that's sort of true, yeah – we can go anywhere we want, and only the Hokage really tells us what to do. But it comes at a cost too, right?" Midori seemed uncomprehending, and Naruto's voice took on a darker inflection. "I mean, like these bandits – the cost here was their lives – the cost of Sasuke and Sakura and I being free was that we had to kill them. Sure, killing them meant a safer road for travelers and saving you – but those bandits are still dead."

Midori shuddered slightly, and Naruto felt bad – he hadn't meant to remind her of her kidnappers. She smiled after a moment though. "You're right, Naruto-kun. I guess everything does have a cost. Even though those bandits are dead, though, I'm glad you were able to rescue me – so to me, at least, that cost was worthwhile."

That made sense, Naruto mused. As he'd considered before, that the bandits had needed to die had been terrible – but it had been his duty to kill them. As a ninja, his life revolved around that duty – fighting to protect his friends, village, and country. Midori was just one example of that; someone who had needed help, which Naruto had been able to provide to her – and if that help had been in the form of killing some bandits, well…

Naruto spotted Kakashi approaching the camp and hopped up, jogging over to his teacher. "Hey, Sensei! I thought you were patrolling?" Kakashi shrugged.

"I was, but I thought I'd talk to you for a moment. Since this was your first kill and all…" Naruto understood, and smiled.

"I gotcha! Nah, I'm OK. I mean, I wasn't – killing those guys was tough. But if I hadn't, they'd have gone on hurting people, and that's what being a ninja is about, right? Doing what I have to do to help people and all." Naruto was surprised to see a slightly distressed look on Kakashi's face.

"Naruto, you understand that not everyone you kill will be… well… as 'evil' as the bandits, right?" Naruto thought about this. The bandits had been bad, because they'd wanted to hurt people. But was that what made it OK to kill them?

No, he realized. The reason it was right to kill the bandits was because he'd been assigned a mission – and he had to complete that mission. What if it had been an innocent – what if he'd been ordered to kill Midori herself? Naruto didn't know whether he liked that train of thought.

"I guess. I mean, we fought the bandits because that was our mission, right? So if someone else was our mission, we'd have to kill them too – how do we know we're doing the right thing, though? If our mission is the right thing?" Kakashi shrugged at this.

"I suppose we don't always know that, Naruto. We're ninja; we follow our orders because those orders are for the good of the village." Naruto thought about that, and wondered – if he were ordered to kill someone like Midori, because it was good for the village, would he do that?

He didn't know. Damn it all, Naruto thought, frustrated – he'd taken so long and worked so hard to come to the conclusion that killing even the bandits was the right thing to do – now, just as he thought he'd managed to make it all work in his head, he was stuck with this again?

Kakashi seemed to read his mind and smiled slightly, ruffling his hair. "Don't worry too much about that, Naruto. You have a lot of growing to do, and the fact that you're even asking questions like that – and able to think about the answers – says a lot about who you are." Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"Really? Like what, Sensei?" Kakashi looked off to the north with a strange glimmer in his visible eye.

"The first kill a ninja makes is always tough, but how they react to it is probably one of the most important moments in their life. There are some who never are bothered by it – they have dangerous minds and you should pity them, Naruto. They'll never truly find companionship with other human beings. Then there are those who can only ever see killing as wrong – even if they do it, it conflicts with their self-identity until they have no choice but to give it up. There are some who try to internalize it and avoid the struggle – only to let it tear them apart in the end.

"And then there's a few like you, Naruto." Naruto cocked his head. "There're a few ninja out there who think about what it means to kill – why they have to do it, what it means to do it, and whether what they did was the right thing. Killing is a passionate exercise no matter how coldly you come upon it, but if you think about it the right way, you can come to understand it – and through it, understand yourself."

Naruto asked in reply, "So… thinking about it, and not really knowing if I did the right thing… is the right thing to do?" Kakashi shrugged.

"There's no really right answer, Naruto. All I can say is that you deal with it as best you can."

* * *

Travelling from Keisei north towards Ka-Shi was an arduous process, particularly because Midori couldn't travel at the speeds the ninja could. Though they borrowed a horse from the army outpost, Team 7 still moved at barely a third the speed they'd been able to before. Ka-Shi was somewhat in the north-eastern part of the country, so even at the speed they'd travelled earlier the trip would have taken a few days. With Midori, it took nearly two weeks.

Not that the time was wasted, in Naruto's opinion. As the team travelled north, Kakashi drilled them on their hand signs and began to expand their knowledge of the silent language. He quizzed them on general concepts of shinobi knowledge, and had the genin occasionally run up and along trees on the sides of the road – supposedly to scout around, but given the lack of any significant danger, it mainly served as a means of training while travelling.

Midori turned out to be an excellent travelling companion – witty and well-read, she was entertaining to talk to, enjoyed the stories Naruto persisted in regaling her with, and told the genin all about Ka-Shi, the capital of Fire Country.

As Midori described it, Ka-Shi was an enormous city, with thousands upon thousands of people – Naruto could hardly picture it, having never even left Konoha before the mission. Midori's description of the beautifully gilded buildings, red tile roofs, and rampant artwork inspired Naruto's mind, and he dreamt of the wonderful things he'd see when the group reached the city.

Naruto's mood was only slightly dampened by Sakura and Sasuke, who were becoming increasingly worried as the journey continued – Kakashi had shown no sign of what his mysterious ulterior motives might be for going along with Naruto's brash offer. On the first day of the trip, he'd summoned a long, lean dog to which he'd attached a letter, and sent it running in the direction of Ka-Shi, meant to inform the chancellor that his daughter had been found and that she was being brought to the city. Kakashi had summoned another such dog and sent it to Konoha to inform the Hokage of the delay, but other than that he'd been surprisingly quiet, keeping to himself and giggling over his books.

Having packed only clothing and rations enough for a week, the genin were somewhat ragged by the end of the trip – though they'd been able to supplement and replace their rations by foraging, their uniforms were battered and threadbare, and Naruto's vest was practically a ruin. However, in their dirty faces, their eyes shimmered when they saw the beautiful gate of Ka-Shi rise before them.

Ka-Shi, unlike Konoha, was not a military settlement. Its walls were whitewashed and decorated with red and gold painted inlays made to look like the flames the city and country were named for. The gate Team 7 approached as they entered was high and tall, like the gate to Konoha, but the doors were clearly too massive to close easily – and Naruto observed, were built of solid wooden beams that could be splintered by an appropriately powerful blow to the center. Nonetheless, they were beautiful, and he saw awe on Sakura's face as they passed under the archway. Sasuke looked interested as well, but managed to avoid any effusive showings of emotion.

Midori seemed thrilled, a light in her eyes and grin on her face – it stood to reason, Naruto supposed. The poor girl had been kidnapped, after all, and was at last back where she was supposed to be, with her family and friends. She turned to the ninja happily. "Thank you, all of you! I'm so happy to be home again – you don't know what this means to me!"

"Oh, it's all just part of the job, Midori-hime." Kakashi waved the thanks off with a modest look, and turned back to his book. Naruto looked furiously to the left and right as they meandered along the huge road that passed through the middle of the city. There were hundreds upon hundreds of buildings all around, many of which were three or more times larger than those in Konoha. Naruto had once considered the Hokage's residence the largest building he'd ever seen – but spotting the Fire Lord's palace at the top of the hill in the center of the town, Naruto could no longer believe that. The world, he realized, was a good deal larger than he'd even imagined.

No wonder Ayame had been so jealous that he got to travel it.

* * *

After spending an hour slowly making their way through the huge city, the group arrived at the home of Midori's father, the chancellor. Naruto recalled from reading that Lord Asahina Mikaze was the Fire Lord's chief advisor on monetary and economic matters – a weighty position with grave responsibilities. His home was correspondingly vast, a traditional-yet-opulent building that reminded Naruto somewhat of the Hyuuga Clan quarters he'd seen once – with significantly more color to it. The tasteful décor drew the eye, and Naruto found himself once again looking in every direction as they approached.

Standing at the entrance of the estate was a slender middle-aged man with a wide smile. The man was mostly-bald, with the fringe at the back of his head braided and sideburns which grew into a mustache, something like Sakura's father's facial hair. The look seemed rather out of place on the man, with his brown hair and fanciful garb – a long, formal robe and tall hat covered in golden filigree.

"Midori!" The man stepped forward and embraced Midori, and Naruto realized that he must be her father, the chancellor. Lord Mikaze seemed like an amiable man, and as soon as he'd satisfied himself as to Midori's health and safety, he guided her by the hand to a plainly-dressed woman standing near him that Naruto supposed was a servant. Lord Mikaze then turned back to the ninjas, who had waited quietly behind.

"Thank you very much, shinobi-san! I'm certain that you have travelled long to return my daughter to me. Hatake-san – thank you in particular for your message. We had just begun to wonder where my daughter was, and why she had not arrived!" Kakashi nodded at this, and bowed. Naruto and his teammates following suit. Mikaze patted Kakashi on the back and gestured to his palace.

"Now, please – after your long journey, please take time to rest! Tonight, we shall hold a celebration in my palace, and you, of course, are the guests of honor!" Mikaze led them in, and Naruto found himself caught up in a whirlwind of color and shimmering objects, any one of which he estimated as more valuable than everything he'd ever owned put together. First, he and Sasuke were separated from Sakura and taken to a room to bathe. This had been remarkably relaxing, considering that the group had gone for two weeks without. Though they'd contemplated stopping at an inn on the way, Kakashi had pointed out that there were no mission funds to do so, and any money would come out of their own pockets.

After bathing, the boys were measured for formal kimonos, and a tailor had rapidly put the pieces together himself. Naruto had been thrilled to choose his own style of clothing, while Sasuke had instructed that his clan's symbol be used. Soon, the clothing was finished (after the grueling work of a series of apprentices).

Naruto found himself in an orange kimono lined with dark blue and black. Wild, vine-like designs raced across the edges of his clothes, and the thick black obi belt he wore had golden floral designs. The red spiral that graced every Konoha shinobi uniform had been embroidered onto the kimono's back. Though Naruto felt that he looked somewhat girly, he couldn't deny that the clothes were magnificent.

Sasuke found himself dressed in a dark blue kimono lined with black, his clan symbol on the back. There were essentially no other designs on the plain fabric, as Sasuke had insisted. Though Naruto was fairly certain Sasuke had intended this to make him appear older and more mature, it instead accentuated his pale skin and somewhat-feminine facial features. Naruto had not been able to restrain a laugh at the frozen shock Sasuke had shown when he'd looked in the mirror.

The two boys met with Kakashi, who had apparently kept a kimono in his storage scroll (why, Naruto couldn't begin to fathom) – an official-looking blue and green outfit that looked practically military in nature. Sasuke had pointed out that it WAS in fact military – it was the official dress uniform worn by ninja of Jounin rank and higher on especially formal occasions. Naruto had gone practically green with envy.

"So, you two look quite dolled up. Enjoy yourselves?" Kakashi was smirking. Naruto wasn't in a particularly bad mood, and simply shrugged in response, while Sasuke grunted. Naruto's head spun at the speed with which things were proceeding.

"Sensei, so… after this ceremony or party or whatever, we're heading home, right?" Kakashi nodded.

"Yes, Naruto, we are. Sometimes clients have a desire to thank us for our work beyond merely paying for the mission itself – in such cases, it's best to quietly accept whatever they offer, rather than insult them by refusing." Sasuke looked up at this.

"So we ARE getting paid for this mission, then? Separately from the bandits?" Naruto was annoyed, but remained quiet – the question was legitimate, since bringing Midori home hadn't been related to their original mission at all. Kakashi nodded again.

"Yes, Sasuke, we are. I've spoken to Lord Mikaze, and he's agreed to approve a back-dated B-Ranked mission, which we'll be paid for and which will go on our records. He was very agreeable, considering how important his daughter is to him." Naruto felt like that sentence had a double meaning, and exchanging glances with Sasuke, could tell that his teammate thought so as well. Still, any further discussion was stalled by Sakura's arrival.

Sakura had been dressed in a green kimono with pink tracery of (what else) cherry blossoms and vines. Her hair had been swept into an elaborate knot, and despite Kakashi's occasional complaint that she should consider cutting her hair, Naruto found himself glad she hadn't. His teammate looked lovely, and he couldn't help returning her hesitant smile. Sasuke nodded.

"You look good." Naruto and Sakura both looked astonished, and an irritable look overtook Sasuke's face.

"What? I can offer compliments if I want." Kakashi chuckled at this and drew his genin close.

"Now, students – pay attention to this party – you'll hear some things that I'll be quizzing you on afterwards. You might have noticed that I gave in to Naruto's suggestion that we return Midori-hime home fairly easily," Sakura and Sasuke simultaneously snorted and Naruto rolled his eyes, "but now we'll see if you can put that reason together. Well, after this party, anyways. Stay sharp and keep your ears open!"

* * *

The partitions that separated the dining hall of Lord Mikaze's palace from his sitting room had been removed, as had further partitions from the beautiful pebble garden that formed the interior courtyard of the building. With these paper walls removed, a single large room had been created with two very long tables at one end, near the entrance, some open standing room in the center, and open access to the walkway around the garden itself. By common consent, as they entered, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke split up – whatever Kakashi had meant them to discover, they supposed it would be easiest for them to do so that way.

Naruto observed the small dais which had been erected near the back of the open area, where Lord Mikaze and Midori stood. Midori was dressed in beautiful turquoise regalia, the tangles combed from her hair and makeup applied – she looked radiant, and Naruto felt his heart leap in his chest. He ruthlessly fought down the inclination – what was he, some fool, to fall for every beautiful woman he laid eyes on? Still, his eyes drifted back to the serene expression on Midori's face and soft shimmering of her eyes, and fancied that they occasionally stole their way back to him.

Though Sakura and Sasuke had vanished into the crowd, Naruto supposed it was only appropriate for at least one member of their team to pay homage to the host of the evening, and made his way into the short line which had formed near the dais. Around him were courtiers and nobility dressed in garments far finer even than his own, and Naruto found himself blushing slightly in a combination of anger and embarrassment at some of the looks he received.

'_Bah, who cares what they think!_' Naruto thought, dismissing the glances. He'd lived with disdain all his life for reasons far weightier than this. For the first time, Naruto considered the disdain the citizens of Konoha showed him. Perhaps their dislike was based in ignorance and fear – but at least they had reason more than the cut of his clothing or style of his hair.

Naruto waited a few minutes before he made his way to Lord Mikaze, who he bowed deeply to. "Mikaze-sama, thanks for inviting my team to this… uh… party?" Midori nodded encouragingly, and Naruto shook away a blush to continue. "We're happy to be here." Lord Mikaze smiled and waved a hand airily.

"No, no, it is no trouble, Uzumaki-san. It is I who should thank you – and I do thank you. You have brought my daughter back to me, and so have aided me immensely already." There it was again, Naruto thought – he wasn't quite referring to his daughter as an object, but there was certainly something more than mere affection in his voice and phrasing. Naruto decided to be bold.

"Mikaze-sama, if I may – what was Midori-hime travelling here for in the first place? It seems like it was a rather dangerous trip to take…" The chancellor nodded.

"Oh yes, it was – though we hadn't heard anything of the sort, of course. I suppose Governor Tsume Kazuto," Lord Mikaze gestured to a stout man on the other side of the room, "must have wanted to deal with the problem himself. And didn't Midori tell you? She is to be married!"

The words echoed in Naruto's mind – so THAT was what was going on. It still didn't answer Kakashi's question, but it was almost certainly a piece of the puzzle. But why was Midori so nonchalant about it? Naruto spared the girl a glance, and found himself transfixed by her eyes staring back at him. He gulped slightly and tore his eyes away, back to her oblivious father.

"Who will Midori-hime be married to, if you don't mind my asking?" Lord Mikaze smiled at this.

"To a fine boy, Harumeki Juntaro. His father is the governor of the city of Tanzaku Gai – a trading city in the west of the country, if you did not know." Naruto hadn't known, but set this information aside in his head as important to tell Sakura and Sasuke.

"That seems like a really good match, then – um, congratulations, Midori-hime!" Naruto pasted a huge, fake grin on his face as he looked at Midori – and for the first time saw something else in her eyes besides the placidity.

* * *

Sakura, after separating from her teammates, had immediately decided not to go to the dais where Lord Mikaze and Midori were. As astute as she was, she was certain that the chancellor would run rings around her. Better for someone like Naruto to go, who would almost certainly be underestimated. Sakura instead took a small fruit-flavored drink and wandered through the hall. She caught several appreciative glimpses directed her way and fought the urge to shudder – she felt her age for once, and felt vulnerable. However, as she went, she heard a snatch of conversation that drew her attention.

"- quite a shame that he'll be in such straits. Tsume-sama was always a good partner, but I suppose times change." Sakura recognized the name – Tsume Kazuto had been the team's employer on the initial mission they'd been hired for. What was this all about then? Trying her very hardest to appear as a vapid, uninterested young woman, Sakura put everything she could remember from her kunoichi training to use. She imitated the sidling, lazy walk of the other ladies she could see, and moved closer.

"So when IS construction on the new road to begin? I hardly think they'll need to wait long, after all, Harumeki-sama has had the funds prepared for years, just waiting for the go-ahead from the court."

"Probably soon after the wedding. After all, the chancellor will have little reason not to approve the deal then, will he?"

Sakura thought about this intently, and decided to take a gamble. She hardly looked like a kunoichi in the thick, fanciful kimono she was wearing – her bright, rosy hair only accentuated her youthful features. Perhaps if she approached their original employer, she could find out more. Slipping away from the conversation again, she made her way to the stout man.

Tsume Kazuto was built heavily, mostly with muscle. Sakura supposed he'd served in the Fire Lord's army – he looked like a hard man who'd made many difficult decisions in his life which now wore on him. Sakura pretended to stumble into him, allowing a bit of her drink to slosh onto his fine robe.

"Oops! Oh, I'm so sorry, Tsume-sama! I apologize… if you wish, my father can -" Kazuto cut her off with a motion, drawing a handkerchief from his robe and patting himself.

"It's only a splash, girl, no reason to concern yourself." Sakura innocently cocked her head.

"You seem in a bad mood, Tsume-sama. Is there something wrong?" Kazuto merely shrugged at this.

"Troubling news, I suppose. Nothing to concern yourself with. Today is a happy occasion, is it not?" Kazuto seemed to be hiding a great deal of bitterness at the last statement, and Sakura wondered why – the celebration was for Midori's rescue… so was Kazuto unhappy about that? He should be happy – her rescue from bandits within his own lands would avoid him being disgraced by her having to be ransomed or if she were harmed. Unless…

Well. That would be something the others would want to know about.

* * *

The moment he was alone, Sasuke swept away, knowing that he was no good at speaking to people. His demeanor wasn't friendly like Naruto's, and he wasn't hard to spot as a fighter of some sort. Instead, he supposed, it would be easiest to admit to exactly who he was and gather information from those who would speak to such a person.

Thus, Sasuke made his way to the garden, where several tall figures with bulky, muscular frames and scars stood. These, he presumed, were soldiers or officers – men of violence themselves. While he'd have been more comfortable hiding and listening from the shadows, such people were the next best option.

As he approached them, they all turned to look in his direction. Sasuke felt a cold chill run down his back – it was quite possible one or more of these people had failed the tests to become genin three times, and had been sent to the Army as a result. Such individuals almost always were made officers, due to their contact with the shinobi world, and due to the minimal chakra-using capabilities they possessed. If any of these people were such failed graduates, they'd likely hold a hefty grudge against one such as Sasuke.

"You, boy – you one of the shinobi who dealt with those bandits?" The speaker was a tall woman with a rangy build. Sasuke nodded at this, keeping in mind that he could tear through all six individuals before him in moments, considering his full chakra reserves and access to his teammates' backup. The thought fought back the cold feeling his nervousness had doused him in.

"Yes. I was wondering what the Army's response was to our operation, considering that it should have been their responsibility to begin with." He was pleased to see that his confrontational opening had ruffled some feathers. Sasuke wasn't much of a social animal, but he knew where to stab the kunai just as well verbally as physically. A burly man responded.

"It's not like we knew! I mean, there were caravan disappearances, and a patrol was sent to investigate!" Sasuke made a soft clucking noise he was sure would infuriate the older, more experienced fighters.

"I see. So eight caravan attacks merited only a patrol of twelve men? Clearly these bandits were more of a menace than you'd thought, considering that Midori-hime was captured…"

"The governor never told us about the attacks getting so bad! We just assumed some thieves or a handful of marauders – not something of this scale!" The woman who'd spoke first replied. Sasuke thought about this. So the army hadn't known? Interesting, since Hakase Wara, the commander of the nearby outpost, had certainly known that the bandits were there and that they'd committed several attacks. Perhaps he'd only been briefed by the Governor upon arriving in the area – but then why wouldn't he have sent word back to central command?

"Is it usual for your field commanders to go incommunicado for so long?" Sasuke ventured, slightly more placating this time. It wasn't these soldiers' fault that Hakase had so blatantly failed to inform his commanders. But why that failure had taken place seemed important.

"No, it's not – Hakase should have reported – or, if he was out of reach, he should have at least sent word through the local governor." Another of the soldiers bit out, and Sasuke nodded. He gave a cursory farewell and hurried away, his mind picking up and discarding options quickly.

Perhaps Hakase had been on the bandits' payroll? Unlikely, since he and his men hadn't arrived until after some of the attacks had already taken place – not to mention he seemed too incompetent to have posed any threat to the bandits to begin with. Perhaps the governor, then, had been the point where communication had failed?

But why?

* * *

The three genin met again at dinner, sitting in their spots as the guests of honor, and swapped information. Naruto frowned as Sasuke finished speaking and thought for a while.

"So… we've got a lot of weird information, but not a lot of overlap. Bandits were there for a while, but the governor didn't let anyone know. The troops should have informed their leaders in the capital, but word didn't arrive until we let them know it was taken care of. Midori got kidnapped while she was coming here to get married to this Harumeki guy, and his father is building some kind of road…" Suddenly Kakashi appeared across from them in his own seat, a cheerful expression on his face.

"So, you figured it out yet?" All three thought hard, and Sakura was the first to speak.

"Well, obviously the army was never meant to deal with the bandits – the Governor never told them, and hired us to take care of it instead." Sasuke picked up next.

"And whatever's happened, the Governor's not happy about it – he didn't want Midori-hime rescued, despite nominally being in a position where that could only be good for him." Naruto's eyes flashed, and his mouth fell open. The other two looked at him, and then one after the other hit the same answer. Kakashi grinned.

"Ooh, I think they've got it…" Naruto spoke up, his face falling into an angry scowl.

"When he ordered us to eliminate the bandit camp, that bastard governor wanted us to do something like use Sasuke's fire techniques to raze the whole thing, didn't he." Kakashi nodded, and Naruto exhaled loudly.

"Damn! Okay, then… so he knew there were bandits, and knew that Midori-hime would be on that road because she was going to the capital. So he let her travel on the road, knowing she'd get captured or killed!" Sasuke picked up as Naruto began practically vibrating with rage.

"That's why the army knew nothing – the governor didn't forward any of the outpost's missives. When he realized that Midori's body wasn't amongst any of the caravans, he assumed she'd been kidnapped instead, and decided to use us to take her out." Kakashi nodded at this.

"Very good. Why?" Sakura, lips twisted and brows furrowed, continued.

"Because of the road. In exchange for his daughter marrying the governor of Tanzaku Gai's son, the chancellor okayed a request to build a competing road that would cut deeply into the profits from the southern one. Governor Tsume-sama decided to eliminate that deal by killing Midori. He didn't want to hire a separate team for that mission because he'd have to explain why he called for an A-rank assassination mission to the Fire Lord himself – so instead he used us as a cat's paw!"

Kakashi smiled. Sasuke frowned, though. "There's still one thing that doesn't make sense, though – that would make Tsume-sama look terrible – if Midori died in his lands, it would make him look totally incompetent. Did he just gamble that the Fire Lord wouldn't do anything in response to Midori's death?" Naruto finally looked up, a snarl on his face.

"It's not as stupid as it seems. It's like in Shougi – you sometimes sacrifice your gold general to set up a checkmate. Sure, he'd look bad, but remember that all the attacks so far were on simple merchant caravans, and that he even made the attack on Midori-hime's group look like that. He could easily have argued that he hired Konoha ninjas to take care of the problem because we'd be a faster solution than the army, and could pretend that Hakase-taichou never sent any messages at all – and show that he was a crap leader through that. Then, when we killed the bandits, he could say that we were crap too because we'd killed Midori-hime in the process."

Sakura and Sasuke remained quiet, the scale of their former employer's plot dawning on them, and Kakashi's face turned serious.

"And that, my dear students, is the reality of this situation. There's more to it that you didn't know – but in essence, you've gotten to the heart of the matter. Tsume-sama gambled by trying to use us, and he failed – but what might have happened if we hadn't been tired from running so long when we attacked? What if Naruto's plan had just been to burn the camp and shoot down anyone who tried to escape with kunai?"

The genin were silent in response to this, their faces going from angry to pale all at once. The din of the meal going on around them seemed suddenly wicked, full of plots and whispers. Naruto saw from the corner of his eye Lord Mikaze wrap his arm around his daughter's shoulders as he spoke to a lord walking past and again caught her sparkling eyes with his own – and now imagined his own hand putting a knife through her pale throat.

He spoke slowly, tiredly. "This is what you meant, isn't it, Sensei." Kakashi nodded sympathetically, and his teammates turned to him, confused. "The night we fought the bandits… Kakashi-sensei and I had a discussion about killing in the name of Konoha. He said that sometimes you couldn't be sure that whoever you were killing was a bad person – you could only rely on the fact that whoever you were killing, you were doing it for the village… for the Hokage." Sakura and Sasuke were pale, remembering that night. Kakashi smiled slightly, but it was a hollow smile.

"That's right, Naruto – and yes, this is what I meant. If we'd been given an A-ranked mission to assassinate Asahina Midori, we would have done it. If Sasuke had burnt the camp, we'd still have called the mission a success – protecting Midori-hime didn't fall into our mission parameters in any way." Naruto looked up, a tremulous look in his eye.

"Take heart, Naruto." Kakashi clearly saw the weakness in his student's eyes and took pity. "No such mission would have been accepted by Konoha – Midori-hime is a Fire Country citizen, and no attainder has been placed upon her by the Fire Lord, secretly or otherwise. If you had suggested burning the camp or killing her once you found her, I would have stopped you – there's only a limit to the free hand even I'd allow!" Kakashi's eye lifted in a smile.

"But take this as your lesson from all of this – look underneath the underneath. Clients lie, informants lie, and superiors lie. You must judge for yourself what you can and cannot trust, and must always be wary to avoid falling into a trap. Take that to heart, my little students: There is always more to discover, hidden under the next layer." Kakashi turned to his meal, but his students remained thinking for several moments longer.

Naruto in particular kept thinking even as he began eating the delicious meal that had been laid out for them. When he'd chosen to become a ninja, he'd never considered that one day he'd have to learn such a lesson – that even those very clients that gave him missions would lie. It made sense, though, he supposed. There were times where people wanted things done that they couldn't be honest about – ninja lied all the time. Why should clients be any different?

But, Naruto decided, from now on, he wouldn't dive headfirst into such things again. He'd learned his lesson – and counted himself lucky nobody had paid for his lesson with their life.

* * *

That night, after his exhausted students made their way to bed, Kakashi entered Lord Mikaze's study. The older man, still dressed in the shimmering robes he'd worn to the earlier festivities, was sitting behind a low, traditional writing desk, his brush sliding across fine rice paper. Kakashi found himself marveling – most people used simple pens and pencils, wood paper or parchment. There was a simple elegance, he found, to the chancellor's steady motions.

"You wanted to speak with me, Mikaze-sama?" The older man had signaled him at the end of the party, just as Kakashi had been about to leave. Kakashi had led his students to their sleeping quarters, fine chambers more luxurious than any but perhaps Sasuke had seen before, before making his way here.

"Yes." Lord Mikaze finished his sentence and placed the brush down, steepling his fingers. "I would like to know, Hatake-san, if your team would be interested in another mission." Kakashi was instantly weary. After seeing the betrayed, pained expressions in his students' eyes earlier in the evening, he wanted nothing more than to return to Konoha and give them a chance to recuperate. Yet, he thought reluctantly, the chancellor of the Fire Lord was hardly someone he could refuse with impunity.

"I'm listening." Kakashi sat formally on the other side of the desk.

"I'm certain you have realized that Midori's situation was no mere coincidence. I am afraid for my daughter's safety, and would like… additional assurance." Kakashi understood immediately, and frowned.

"Your daughter's wedding is not for three weeks. Surely -"

"You are correct, of course. But my daughter is my eldest child and the apple of my eye. I understand the potential expense, but I would be willing to pay it for my peace of mind." Kakashi's lips thinned under his mask and he tried a different tack.

"I understand, of course. Yet my genin are tired and have been away from home for weeks. Perhaps we could take word to Konoha and another team could accept your mission? Perhaps even a team of chuunin?" Lord Mikaze just shook his head.

"I'm afraid, Hatake-san, that my daughter is very… willful." Kakashi frowned slightly – he'd noticed no such thing about the sweet, dreamy girl he'd travelled with. "She is unlikely to be comfortable with guards she does not know. She has been rescued by your students once already, and trusts them." Kakashi was silent.

Lord Mikaze decided to sweeten the deal. "I would, of course, be willing to pay for a long-term B-ranked mission for your team. I would provide them housing, food, if you wish; I would be willing to replace their damaged and used equipment as well."

Kakashi thought about this. A second B-ranked mission (a third, for Naruto) on his team's record this early in their career would do wonders for their reputation, and might spare them more D-ranked missions when they returned. Three weeks of long-term B-rank pay would do wonders to convince the Hokage that his investment of three months hadn't been wasted, as well. Other than his and his team's desire to return home, was there really a reason to refuse the mission? Kakashi couldn't readily think of one.

Still, maybe he could get a little something more for his students…

* * *

"So we have to stay here for another three weeks?!" Naruto exclaimed, all his incredulity audible in his voice. Sakura had already voiced her distaste, and though quiet, Sasuke's annoyance was quite visible in his expression. Kakashi shrugged helplessly.

"He made me an offer I couldn't refuse, Naruto – what was I to do? Besides, it's good pay for a comfortable time. Think of it like… I dunno, almost like a paid holiday. Besides, I thought you liked Midori-hime?" Naruto blushed at this. Kakashi couldn't help but feel grateful that his team's romantic tensions were now directed outward rather than at each other; though falling for the subject of one's mission was never a good idea. Sakura sighed, clearly accepting their fate.

"All right, fine, Sensei. I suppose you're right – it's a good deal, especially with that training and all. Still, I need to send a message to Kabuto-sensei letting him know why I'm gone from training for so long." She returned to her room, leaving Kakashi with his male students. Naruto shrugged.

"Well, I guess if we're doing this, I'll send Gai-sensei a message so he doesn't wonder if I've died and storm the gates of hell or something. I'll include a note to Shikamaru too – I'm sure he's been missing having someone besides his dad to play with." He made his way off as well.

Sasuke frowned, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "What, nobody to contact, Sasuke?" The boy shook his head slightly. Naruto poked his head out of the room the two boys shared with a grin.

"He's just whiney because he doesn't think he has any friends. Dunno what he's whining about – we've got to miss people; lucky bastard has his friends right here!" Naruto ducked away again, just barely missing the fleeting smile that flickered across Sasuke's face.

* * *

**Technique Library**: No new techniques this chapter!

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, including the lessons the team is learning! I'm sorry I covered the subject of the teams' first kill in such depth – I know it's been dealt with a million times, but it seems to me like a subject ripe for characterization – how the characters react to their first kills, to me, says a lot about their maturity and growth as individuals.

A couple of replies to selected reviews (and again, thank you very much to everyone who's reviewed so far):

_Shae Vizla_: As you can see, letting Kakashi decide was basically what they went with, though Naruto is still a little too impetuous to discard the chance to rescue a princess!

_theIrishWriter_: The samurai were in fact pretty shitty, though as obliquely pointed out, they hadn't been there long either. They weren't really a force meant to fight the bandits – but instead to check out what was up, as this chapter explains. Unfortunately Midori will not be returning to Konoha with the team, since this story is focused pretty heavily on their development as shinobi. I looked things up, and you're technically right – though Uzu was an "Island off the coast of Fire Country" and Wave is exactly that, and though Wave is one of the few countries with no ninja village at all (even in filler), it isn't actually confirmed. Well, consider it so in this story, at least.

_MuffinMan9223_: Very interesting guess, though not true – Kakashi likes to take advantage of extant situations to create lessons for the most part, rather than creating lessons from whole cloth. Motivated or not, he's still a lazy bum.

_Black Bullet of Seven_: I have it planned a fair way along, though bits alter as I go, naturally. I don't know for sure how much current stuff I plan to incorporate, since the manga is getting REALLY weird right now…

_Snakefang93_: That is true, but note that Naruto being a jinchuuriki is fairly secret to people outside the village. If Naruto weren't sent to the army, someone would wonder why, and it would all end either with Naruto getting handed off to Danzo or something, or being shunted into some sort of reserve program. In any case, Kakashi wasn't considering the jinchuuriki issue at the time, being a little more upset that his sensei's son was such a fuck-up.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	7. Chapter 7: Days in the City

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 15, 2014 (Updated September 3)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 7: Days in the City**

_Wherein our heroes step out of their comfort zones in all sorts of ways._

* * *

Ka-Shi, the capital city of the Fire Country, was hardly the worst place to be trapped for three weeks. For one thing, the city was huge – it contained over ten times as many people as Konoha, spanned more than four times its size (even if one included Konoha's vast training grounds), and in many places expanded upwards as much as sideways, with apartment buildings and towers growing from the city like bloody-tipped teeth stretching towards the heavens.

Unlike the shinobi villages, the world of courts and lords made aesthetics an integral part of its development, and the city was also beautiful – every building decorated and painted, with a uniform set of flame-red tiles covering the city's roofs. Here and there throughout the city were beautiful gardens strewn with lush flowering and fruit-laden plants, ornately-carved benches, and mosaic-tiled fountains.

In one such garden was Uzumaki Naruto at present, just over a week-and-a-half into his stay at Ka-Shi. Dressed in a formal kimono in a deep blue hue, Naruto sat silently beside and slightly behind Lord Asahina Mikaze, the Fire Lord's chancellor. Though the discussion taking place had little relevance to him, he tried to pay attention carefully.

"Now, Shiranaya-dono – you must know that His Highness cannot allow a retaliatory embargo. Why, if every minor lord's tiff became a trade war, the country could never function!"

'_Sure it could,_' Naruto thought, '_you just wouldn't be able to use these landholders as pawns against each other like this_.' Naruto envisioned the discussion before him as a Shougi match such as the ones he'd play with Shikamaru. Lord Mikaze moved his Silver General.

"But I do not ask for an embargo, Asahina-sama – only for the allowance to refuse the Tamashina merchants entry until we are certain their products are of good quality! I merely do not wish to see His Highness's subjects be saddled with the results of shoddy craftsmanship!"

'_You just don't want competition for the cloth merchants you've been 'investing' in._´ Naruto thought. Yet the excuse seemed valid – a difficult idea for Lord Mikaze to reject. Of COURSE new, inexperienced merchants might bring shoddy craftsmanship into Fire Country markets. Naruto saw Shiranaya drop a lance for 'check.' Naruto was still unconcerned, though – Lord Mikaze never lost these matches.

"Ah, but this would enflame the merchants' patrons, Shiranaya-dono. Please understand, His Highness feels the same pain you do at the possibility of substandard merchandise – but would it not be better for your merchants to strike a blow in the marketplace? Perhaps instead of setting an embargo, you might subsidize the cloth merchants of your own province?

'_As he's already been doing illegally - and it's clearly not working. But if he admits that, he admits breaking the Fire Lord's laws, since it hasn't been approved yet._' And that was game, as Governor Shiranaya bowed deeply and mumbled his assent to Lord Mikaze before making his way out of the garden. Lord Mikaze smiled after him for a moment before turning to Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, what do you think Shiranaya-dono will do next, now that his efforts at creating a trade monopoly on silk cloth in his province have failed?" Naruto thought seriously – he knew that the questions Lord Mikaze asked of him were not merely thought experiments – the chancellor used his young student almost like an auxiliary brain, testing ideas, having Naruto play devil's advocate to Lord Mikaze's own positions, and asking his advice. At the same time, Naruto always had to explain his positions and responses – the chancellor sought to teach Naruto through practice lessons Lord Mikaze himself had encountered only through vicious political struggles in the courts of Fire Country.

This was one of the simpler problems his tutor had set before him – Naruto had been asked to analyze and debate everything from foreign trade and diplomatic incidents to border struggles, crime, and social issues. In comparison, Shiranaya's greed was a simple matter. Everything, Naruto had found, boiled down to the same steps.

First, review what he already knew: Governor Shiranaya's family had bought large portions of the silk market in towns throughout his province, using Shiranaya's influence to ensure that the sellers were willing. They had reaped rewards for several years until a maturing silk trade in the neighboring province of Tamashina had been able to produce equal or better quality cloth more cheaply. The Tamashina merchants had begun recently to sell their cloth in Shiranaya's province, rapidly eating into his profits. Shiranaya had begun directly investing his tax income into the silk business, but it had done little good – and cloth merchants in Tamashina had begun to refuse to sell Shiranaya's silk.

Second, consider the active parties' motivations: Naturally, Shiranaya wanted money, but his pride was at stake as well – having foolishly tried to directly intervene in what was a simple trade matter, Shiranaya had made himself look ridiculous – and would only look more so if he continued to fail. The cloth merchants were also practical men, but at least part of their behavior stemmed from outrage at Shiranaya's embezzlement and from his illegal behavior.

Third, construct the endgame. "Shiranaya didn't manage to beat the merchants with his money or with his influence – that means he's gonna try force next – I'd say bandits, but the merchants aren't stupid, and they probably already have Konoha teams as escorts. So more likely he'll have missing-nin hit the merchants' warehouses, or threaten the merchants at their shops in his own province – gives him a bit of deniability."

Naruto held his breath a moment, and sighed as Lord Mikaze smiled. "Yes, that does seem like the likeliest route. I shall circulate a warning regarding the activities of missing-nin in Fire Country, and will send a missive to your Hokage ordering an A-Ranked mission to stop potential missing-nin activity in that area." Naruto smiled, but Mikaze now gave him a reproachful glance. "And, regardless of his unsavory behavior, he is Shiranaya-SAMA to you, Naruto. And say 'going to,' rather than 'gonna.' You're smarter than that; act like it."

Naruto humbly bowed, smiling regardless of the reproach. He picked up the gilded scroll next to him, unraveling it slightly and glancing down the list of names and times. "You have your session with the Fire Lord until after lunch, Mikaze-sama; then, a few meetings regarding the wedding in the afternoon."

Mikaze nodded slowly. "Ah. I shall take my meeting with the Fire Lord in private, of course – and I'm certain you have no interest in the wedding arrangements (Naruto grimaced). I have a quick note I'd like you to take to my daughter, and then you may have lunchtime and the afternoon free to train your ninja arts. You shall, however, eat dinner with my daughter and I again tonight – Midori seems quite determined to teach you how to eat a formal meal properly."

Naruto grinned at this, and hopped up once Lord Mikaze handed him the folded paper. With a quick bow towards the chancellor, Naruto quickly walked away. He was enjoying his time in Ka-Shi immensely – every day taught him new things he'd never even dreamed of in Konoha. Lord Mikaze was a strict teacher, but a fair one, and never became upset at Naruto – instead, he always corrected his student's missteps and used them to teach new lessons.

Naruto navigated through the gardens, stopping for a moment to admire the flare of a growth of fire lilies along the edge of a pond. He wondered if he'd see Sakura with Midori this morning - his teammate's schedule didn't make any sense to him, so it was entirely random whether they'd come in contact on a given day before Kakashi's scheduled training sessions or not. Sasuke was more predictable – if Naruto wanted to find him, he knew where to look.

Naruto rounded a corner and entered the ladies' bower – he recognized it instantly by the colors of the flowers. While Lord Mikaze had focused almost exclusively on practical topics and decorum, he'd pointed out certain features of the gardens that he liked to hold his meetings in – particularly that different sections of the gardens held differing types and colors of flower. The bower, a part of the garden typically reserved for ladies of the court, was filled with blue and pink flowers, along with a few in a lavender shade (which, Naruto thought, might well be lavender flowers). The pale colors created an airy environment filled with the flowers' sweet scent.

Naruto made his way towards the sounds of ladies giggling. Ahead stood a gazebo formed of gently arching white trees grown so that their branches naturally sheltered the area below. Several cushions had been set out in the covered area, where Lady Shijimi often held court over her ladies-in-waiting and the wives of visiting nobles and dignitaries. The great lady herself was not present, but the bower was still the favorite amongst many like it for her remaining courtiers to relax in.

A musician with a samisen sat in the center of the bower, playing a soft, tinkling tune. The ladies of the court listened, enraptured – Naruto could see many fluttering fans and silken handkerchiefs in evidence – he knew that the ladies used the objects as a means of silent communication – Sakura had tried to explain once, but the subtle gestures had gone over his head. Presiding over the gathering from the single, well-upholstered chair was Midori herself – as the daughter of Lord Mikaze, she was the highest-ranking woman present. Naruto knew the Fire Lord had a daughter, but she was married to the Wind Lord's heir.

Midori made a quick motion as Naruto approached, and the music ended – while the others applauded, Midori herself stood to approach Naruto, draped today in silks of orange and gold that he thought suited her very well. Admittedly, Naruto thought, EVERYTHING suited Midori. Standing along with her was her handmaiden, Sakura.

When Kakashi had proclaimed that he'd obtained "additional training" for them all, Naruto had originally believed that their sensei meant some sort of special capital ninja training – however, the Fire Lord's Guardians were far too busy with their duties to afford time for anything like that. Instead, Kakashi had taken the innovative step of finding positions for his students amongst the court. Naruto had initially been highly dubious about the value of following Lord Mikaze around, but Kakashi had played his trump card – a Hokage had to deal with politics and economics, so it was important for Naruto to learn of such matters.

Naruto had seen through the ploy within the day – the chancellor's tutoring worked fast – but had gone along with the plan nonetheless just because it had been so FUN. Working out the strategies and plans various nobles used was just like playing a game with Shikamaru – only it was real life, and the game meant so much more. Though he didn't think he'd ever like politics, Naruto had to admit that figuring out what other peoples' moves were before they happened had an immense thrill to it.

On the other hand, Sakura had been seconded to Midori as her handmaiden. Naruto didn't know what this actually involved, since the three genin rotated responsibility for protecting the bride-to-be, but she seemed to enjoy it. Sakura was dressed in a green kimono that, on closer inspection, wasn't the same one she'd worn to the party the team had attended on the day they had arrived in the city – Naruto was confounded that anyone could have two dresses in the same color – but then, he supposed most of his clothing had once been orange. She looked pretty, if somewhat young and simply dressed next to Midori.

"Hey there, Midori-hime!" Naruto called out cheerfully. Though he knew speaking so loudly in the gardens was typically against form, Midori preferred him to act as himself, so he indulged her – besides, her smiles when he did so were worth the other courtiers' annoyance. Though a couple of the ladies threw him disdainful looks, more were calculating. Naruto knew that as the chancellor's apprentice and Midori's friend, a great deal of subtle attention was directed his way.

Naturally, he pretended to ignore it entirely. Midori's lips curved into a smile as she approached him. "Hello, Naruto-kun. What brings you to our bower? I'm certain my father wouldn't have sent you if not for something important?" Naruto nodded his greetings to Sakura as well, who stood slightly behind their charge, her face lowered slightly. For all that Sakura pretended to be a mere handmaiden, Naruto knew she listened carefully – he could ask her afterwards about the note's contents.

"Just a note from your father – he's meeting with the Fire Lord before handling some wedding plans afterwards." Naruto grinned as he bowed to the older girl. As Midori's notice drifted to the note, he turned to his teammate. "Things all right with you, Sakura-chan?" Sakura smiled and shrugged.

"It's been a slow morning, I guess. I'll see you at Kakashi-sensei's training in the afternoon?" Naruto nodded to this. Midori looked up as she finished reading, turning towards Sakura.

"Sakura-san, if I could have something to write with?" Sakura reached into a small, lacquered box sitting nearby and withdrew an elegant calligraphy pen. Midori quickly wrote something on a spare piece of paper and handed it to Naruto, who pocketed it, waiting attentively for instructions.

"Please take this to Commander Gendou at the guards' barracks if you could, Naruto-kun? It would seem that my betrothed will be visiting later today, and we must make preparations." Midori gave him a grateful smile, and Naruto made an affirmative sound before bowing and turning to leave.

* * *

As Naruto left, Midori sighed after him, turning back to Sakura. "Well, it seems like this is the big day…" Sakura nodded to this. She knew that Midori had been nervous about meeting her betrothed for the first time since the marriage had been announced.

When Kakashi had told her that she was to be Midori's handmaiden, Sakura had been infuriated – merely because she was a woman, she had no desire to be left without the training it seemed Naruto and Sasuke would receive. However, her concerns, as it turned out, were unfounded. The past week-and-a-half had taught her a great deal.

In particular, the world of the bower had taught Sakura all about the more subtle forms of power and expression that could be used, forms vital in the shinobi world. Sakura had heard during the Academy of the many unnamed heroes who had prevented conflicts or won them with the power of knowledge and indirect action – power she saw in use every day.

As Midori's handmaiden, Sakura was often seen as a neutral party to the scheming in the court – and so she heard a great deal about it and reported it to Midori herself. While the complexities of the politics flew far over her head, Sakura had become adept and watching and listening – and at carrying out the careful tasks Midori asked her to.

Additionally, every day was filled with what Sakura was beginning to feel was an endless stream of amusements meant to distract these ladies from the fact that their lives, in the end, were just a waiting game until marriage – and afterwards until they bore their husbands an heir. As a kunoichi, Sakura resided in a world full of danger – but also near-equality. Though few kunoichi reached the uppermost echelons of power (the legendary Senju Tsunade aside), there were many amongst the ranks of the jounin and even elite jounin of Konoha, and of the other shinobi nations.

That same sexual equality wasn't present in the world of the nobles – and so these ladies comforted themselves with music, dance, poetry, painting, flower arrangement, and more. While the kunoichi classes in the academy had included a basic primer on most of these arts, only a few of Sakura's classmates had excelled at any of them in particular – Sakura remembered Ino's proud statement that she knew how to arrange flowers, thank you very much. She also remembered Hinata's much shyer admission that all Hyuuga maidens learned to dance as a part of their training in the use of their family art.

Sakura's musings ended as Midori sighed and stepped out from under the shade of the bower. The autumn sun cast a warm glow upon them, fragmenting on the beads of dew that remained on the flowers all around. Midori often did this – the older girl was a dreamer, and Sakura was well-acquainted with her role in the upcoming interaction.

"You seem distracted, Midori-hime. Did you rest well?" Midori was full of thoughts and ideas – and she needed someone to talk about them to, Sakura had found. Unable to honestly discuss with her peers in the bower, Sakura's presence provided the chancellor's daughter someone she could interact with honestly.

"I did. I had another dream… a good one." Sakura nodded, encouraging Midori to continue.

"It was… another one about flying. Sakura-san, do you know of any ninja who can fly?" Sakura thought about this for a moment. She was no psychologist, but Midori's many dreams of flying probably meant something. Nonetheless, it wasn't her place to analyze her charge's thoughts.

"No, I don't, Midori-hime – but I've heard it's an ability ninja with wind-elemental chakra can learn – like Naruto, for instance." To be specific, she'd heard from Kakashi-sensei, she remembered, way back during her sensei's assessment. It had only been around four months ago, but it felt like a lifetime.

"Aha… it does seem like the sort of think Naruto-kun could do." Sakura nodded dutifully. Midori smiled, the sun playing across the tiny, shimmering beads threaded into her hair. Sakura knew they were there, because she'd helped the hairdressers thread them in. She should have known today would be an occasion, given all the work they'd been put to.

"You know, I'm envious of you, Sakura-san. You travel all over Fire Country… and your journey has only just begun." Sakura heard the ending of that sentence, unsaid – '_but I've seen so little, and my journey is almost finished_.' Midori never said it, but Sakura took pity on the older girl nonetheless.

What could she do, Sakura supposed, but provide a little comfort. She smiled reassuringly, trying for all the world to look older than her thirteen years. "I'm sure you'll get to see as much or more than I will, Midori-hime. Why don't we go back to the music?"

Midori smiled – Sakura wasn't sure it was a real smile, but it seemed to meet her eyes, and that was all Sakura could hope for.

* * *

Naruto, in the meanwhile, whistled as he exited the gardens, giving a quick nod to the guards standing outside it. He was familiar with them, as he was with many of the other guards, servants, and minor nobles of Ka-Shi. They were used to seeing the energetic blonde hanging around the chancellor and by now paid him little attention beyond pleasantries – and the occasional thanks when Naruto brought them something from the chancellor's well-stocked breakfast table.

The guard barracks weren't actually particularly close to the beautiful gardens he'd been at, and Naruto decided to speed his journey. He channeled chakra into his legs and leapt high into the air, twisting in midair to land on a red-tiled roof. As he ran forward, padding chakra into his legs to avoid damaging the tiles and simultaneously to accelerate his motion, Naruto could see the vast spread of Ka-Shi around him. Below, the common people toiled day after day, making and selling their wares – as he flew across a street, he saw several people below gasp and point as him and grinned.

The sight of ninjas wasn't nearly as common in Ka-Shi as in Konoha, where his movement wouldn't even had been noticed – there were always ninjas on the rooftops, a method of travel sometimes referred to as the "ninja highway." Here in Ka-Shi, though, the only other true ninjas besides Team 7 were the Twelve Guardians who served the Fire Lord directly.

Busy as they were, Naruto had never actually had a chance to speak to the ninjas that wore the pristine white sashes at their waists, adorned in red with the symbol for "fire." The Guardians protected not only the Fire Lord himself, but his gravest interests – he often sent them along with task forces of his army. Three were along the River Country border at present, Naruto knew, and another two were somewhere to the north, near Rice Field Country. Another was accompanying an ambassador in Tea Country, and the rest were somewhere in the city.

Besides them, though, Naruto knew that there were many soldiers amongst the army who were former members of the Konoha Shinobi Academy. Some of these had maintained their minimal skill or increased it with the aid of the Guardians – yet there were few, and their skill haphazard. Training ninja took time, effort, and dedication – which was why the hidden villages existed at all.

The vast majority of the Fire Lord's Army was made up of soldiers drawn from the many towns and cities of Fire Country, young men and women with the desire to move beyond whatever lives they'd had before. Naruto pitied them – the Army was a rough life, and those who survived it came out scarred and tough veterans. Yet these veterans must have had something to teach – for that was where Sasuke was now.

Hopping off the rooftops into the courtyard of the barracks, Naruto looked up at the immense brick structure. Within were housed the thousands of soldiers that guarded Ka-Shi. There were more soldiers just in this building than were ninjas that served Konoha in its entirety – and therein was the Fire Lord's check against the Hokage. Even if Konoha's ninja could destroy the Army, more would keep coming – and the ninja would eventually be overwhelmed. Not that Naruto could foresee such an event ever taking place – the Hokage and Fire Lord were partners that worked together for the benefit of the Fire Country. If either turned against the other, the country would be ripe for the picking by another nation.

In the courtyard, hundreds of soldiers trained against one another, fighting with spears, bows, fists, and most often with swords. Though the spear was the mainstay of combat between armies, and though bows were effective at a range, there was something about the sword that fascinated samurai, Naruto found.

Whatever it was, it had infected Sasuke too, he noticed – his teammate was wearing a training gi and sparring with a much older man. Both wielded wooden swords that clashed with each other with an impressive noise, as Sasuke carefully parried the blows flying his way. Naruto spotted the opening at the same moment as Sasuke, who swept low quickly – but his opponent, even faster, moved his own weapon down to block, then moved back up to tap Sasuke on the chest.

Another man with a bristling toothbrush mustache and topknot of greying black hair, clapped at this. "Point. Hold match, we have a visitor." Naruto winced nervously as the soldiers gathered around the fight turned to him. He felt foppish in his formal kimono, but Sasuke's presence, sweaty as he was, provided some comfort.

"Er, message for the commander of the guard, sir. From Midori-hime." The mustached man, dressed in the red armor of an army officer, took the note from him. He skimmed over it, and looked up at Naruto, apparently scrutinizing him.

"Message received, Naruto-san. Thank you for informing us – we'll have men ready to greet Harumeki-sama and guide him to the chancellor's palace." Naruto nodded at this, and taking it for a dismissal turned to Sasuke.

"Training going all right, Sasuke?" The black-haired boy nodded and glared at the man who had struck him. Naruto smirked – if Sasuke was well enough to be annoyed, he'd be fine – Naruto saw him less often than Sakura, other than during Kakashi's training. Otherwise, their training didn't cross much.

Naruto turned and jauntily left – he had a little time to train alone in one of the less-occupied gardens until he needed to meet his team, and he intended to take full advantage.

* * *

As Naruto left, Sasuke turned back to his foe, a particularly annoying samurai named Shiro. He could feel the chakra burning in his coils, aching to be used, and fought it, refusing to rely on it. It had been the very first lesson Gendou, the commander of the guard and his teacher, had taught him.

'_Ninja rely too readily on their chakra – it is what makes them superhuman. But what will you do if you meet someone with as much or more chakra than you? You will only be as strong as you are now, against a stronger foe. What will you do then?_' Sasuke had taken to restraining his chakra when practicing against the samurai since then – even if those of them with some training used it against him.

Shiro, in particular, had once been a student at the Konoha Academy, and often boasted that he had done well in taijutsu lessons – it had only been his failure to perform the academy's techniques which had caused his failure. Sasuke had seen this for the failure it was – even Naruto had been able to perform two of the Academy techniques, and a superior version of the third. He had said nothing, but Shiro must have been able to sense his disdain – and had returned it with hatred.

Sasuke spend a good deal of every day with Gendou – occasionally aiding him with the administration of the guard regiments and assigning patrol routes, but mostly practicing swordplay. While Naruto and Sakura had been assigned teachers who would further their non-combat skills, Sasuke had remembered his trouble during the fight against the bandits, and had asked for training with a weapon that wasn't a ninja's kunai and shuriken.

He hadn't expected Kakashi's response, which was to throw him to Gendou's less-than-tender mercies.

Gendou initially treated Sasuke like a slightly-more-competent trainee, drilling him on the standard forms, strikes, and blocks with a katana – then with a yari spear and yumi bow. Sasuke had eventually pointed out that a kunai from the hand of a ninja was far superior to the latter, and that a spear was far too unwieldy for use by a fast-moving ninja. Gendou had taken this as both a personal challenge and a sign that Sasuke possessed a spine.

A week after that discussion, Sasuke was fighting his third one-on-one spar that day, and had suffered his first blow. Shiro's eyes glinted with a dark amusement, and Sasuke gritted his teeth, feeling his chakra surge in annoyance. Commander Gendou showed no emotion, turning back to the match.

"Start!" Sasuke had remembered the stance his father and… Him… had once used to utilize a sword with the Intercepting Fist style, and now made it his own. He'd need to correct numerous imperfections, he knew, once he returned to Konoha and had a chance to study the actual scrolls, but in the meanwhile, it would have to do.

Shiro burst from his standard swordsman's balance to strike downward at Sasuke's head, the wooden sword in his hands whistling. Sasuke raised his sword horizontally to block, and then slid his weapon along the other one to clash their guards together. Even as the vibrations from Shiro's blow subsided, Sasuke was already moving, hurling his limited weight toward Shiro.

Shiro didn't move, naturally – without chakra enhancement, Sasuke was just a thirteen-year-old boy smashing his weight against a grown man. Shiro smirked at this, as Sasuke knew he would – giving Sasuke the opportunity to sweep his leg forward and around, unbalancing his larger foe.

Shiro cried out, stumbling back, and Sasuke twisted his sword forward and around, wrapping it around Shiro's knuckles and tugging. If the wooden blade had been steel, Shiro's fingers would have been slashed and mangled, and in any case the sword came free, falling to the floor. Sasuke stepped on it and leaned forward to tap Shiro on the chest.

"Point!" Gendou's voice rang out, still free of emotion. Sasuke admired the man – even with only minimal chakra ability, the commander was an excellent warrior. Though even one of the worse genin from their graduating class could probably have slain him in a straight fight, Gendou was too wily to allow a superior foe to put him in such a position. Gendou was the one who had taught him the disarming technique he'd just used.

Shiro scrambled to his feet, angry, and Sasuke contemplated pressing his weight down on the wooden sword, breaking it. Shiro was a disgrace – but if he broke the weapon, he'd be showing his own ill breeding – and would disgrace not only his team, but his family.

Instead, he kicked the weapon to Shiro, contenting himself by returning to his stance. Shiro did as well, wary now, but Sasuke's confidence was back in place.

"Start!" Sasuke faked a forward movement, but the cautious Shiro only sidestepped as he began to circle. Sasuke himself moved as well, keeping the distance open. Shiro did nothing, though, and the two moved in silence for a moment longer.

Sasuke felt his impatience grow, but quelled it. If even Naruto could build up the calm to serve as a courtier's apprentice, Sasuke would not snap and charge like an undisciplined child. Shiro's eyes moved suddenly left and Sasuke reflexively blocked left as Shiro lunged.

The two swords clashed, and then again as Shiro attacked from above. Shiro was only attacking with light blows, Sasuke realized – he was trying to find a weak spot. Sasuke determined that he would not, blocking two more blows and countering with his own searching attack towards Shiro's leg. The older man blocked it, but was slower than Sasuke had expected – perhaps he was getting tired? Sasuke was well aware that Kakashi's brutal training had left him and his team well-prepared for an extended fight.

Sasuke disengaged, pretending to give Shiro some breathing room. Sure enough, his foe's sword lowered slightly as he breathed deeply, but Sasuke saw the alertness in his eyes. Shiro was trying to trick him. Sasuke wondered if he should activate his Sharingan, but considered that it was equivalent to using chakra – a handicap he wanted to preserve.

He'd grow more this way.

Shiro cried out and abandoned his plan to wait for Sasuke's attack. He swiped at Sasuke's head, and the boy crouched, lashing out at Shiro's legs. Shiro stumbled, but Sasuke hadn't intended to hit. Instead, he'd drawn his sword back to his chest and stabbed up, even as Shiro's momentum carried him forward and sideways. His sword struck a palpable blow against Shiro's chest.

"Point! Match to Sasuke!" Gendou stood, and though there was no applause, the watching soldiers politely murmured congratulations towards Sasuke. Shiro looked furious, but bowed to Sasuke anyways. Sasuke inclined his head in return. Gendou clapped loudly, and the soldiers turned in his direction.

"Now, we have word from the chancellor's family! Midori-hime's betrothed is arriving today from Tanzaku, and should be offered an honor guard. I shall select several guards to go meet him." The guards stood at rigid attention. Sasuke smirked slightly – most of these soldiers were dying for a break from the monotony of training and patrols. A welcome chance to provide an honor guard instead, even to some foppish noble boy from the west country, was a plum posting.

Gendou read out the names, and predictably Sasuke was not amongst them – after all, he was Gendou's trainee, Sasuke thought. But then, he was surprised. "To lead these men, I am assigning my student Uchiha Sasuke. He has had the most personal experience with Midori-hime and her family, and I believe he will be the most effective protection!" Though there were mild grumbles from the soldiers, Sasuke realized that the words were true – as a ninja, he was more effective than any five of these soldiers, maybe more. That his teammates were Midori's handmaiden and Lord Mikaze's understudy were only bonuses.

He wondered if this would cut into his training with Kakashi at all – he hoped not. As interesting as his education was, the greatest thing it had taught him to appreciate was the value of time spent with Kakashi. After all, a sword killed quickly; but a fireball even more so.

* * *

That afternoon, Kakashi's three students met in the pebble garden within Lord Mikaze's palace, changed into their uniforms. With the two uniforms they'd each brought on their original mission threadbare, Lord Mikaze had paid for his tailor to make several new uniforms each, patterned on their old ones, but with finer cloth. While this had been simple enough for Sakura and Sasuke, Naruto's vest had caused problems.

Makeshift from the start, Naruto's vest had been practically falling apart by the time the team had reached Ka-Shi. Naruto had insisted on replacing it with something orange, so Kakashi had worked out a deal. Naruto now wore an orange utility vest very similar to Kakashi's, with a double-layering of mesh inside. The vest had several pockets on it, as well as the red spiral emblem on its back, and Naruto had to admit that it looked far more professional than his battered old garment.

Since there wasn't much room to spar or learn elemental techniques in Ka-Shi, Kakashi had instead decided to use their time to continue his drilling of the silent hand-sign based language Konoha used, as well as to further his students' chakra control and reserves. While it might have been easy enough to have them do so by climbing the palace's walls, Kakashi didn't think this would be taken well by either Lord Mikaze or the guards. Thus, he'd decided instead to teach his students to walk on water.

In the pebble garden was a small pond on top of which his students all carefully balanced. Though the exercise had been difficult when he'd first shown it to them at the beginning of the week, all three genin were able to at least tentatively balance on the placid surface now – Sakura could do so while carefully practicing a taijutsu form, while Sasuke simply did squats. Naruto just focused on balancing on the water's surface at all, still a difficult task for him.

Kakashi and Midori sat to the side, the former pretending to read his book but actually focusing on his students' progress and evaluating his next move. Midori, on the other hand, never seemed tired of watching her guardians train, and her eyes were characteristically watching the genin while she held a book she hadn't looked at in the last ten minutes. Kakashi had the feeling she was daydreaming, though about what he wasn't certain he wanted to know.

Finally, once Naruto had stayed upright on the water for a full twenty minutes, his longest time ever, Kakashi called out to his students. "Hey, munchkins, get over here. It's time for your next bit of training."

Predictably, Naruto's feet splashed into the pond, but he'd rolled his pants up past his ankles, and the water didn't reach them. He cursed as he stepped out, while Sasuke and Sakura made their way to dry land with less drama. Sakura shoved Naruto on the shoulder and muttered something about helping him out later on. Once the genin came closer, Kakashi withdrew a scroll from his vest.

"Can any of you tell me what this is?" Naruto's eyebrow rose and the other two genin looked equally incredulous.

"Um… a storage scroll? We're not stupid, sensei…" Kakashi ignored Naruto's sarcasm and opened the scroll. He pulled a brush from his vest as well and unscrewed the back end of it before their fascinated gaze, revealing a small scalpel-like blade. He swiped it across the heel of his hand, and a bit of blood oozed out. Pressing the wound to a symbol, one of several, on the scroll, Kakashi allowed his chakra to flow to the wound, and with a popping sound, a small pile of dog treats appeared on the scroll's surface.

"Yes, Naruto – it is a summoning scroll. Sakura, why don't you tell us what makes the summoning scroll work?" Sakura nodded obediently.

"The scroll has a seal drawn on it which is embedded with a chakra matrix. When an object is sealed into the scroll using the proper chakra emission, it is bound into that chakra matrix and is stored… um… within the scroll? Then, when one applies blood and chakra to the seal, whatever is bound to that particular symbol is released!" Sakura's voice grew increasingly certain as she approached the information that the Academy dwelled on – the actual use of the storage scrolls.

"That's about right, though the item technically isn't sealed 'within' the scroll, but that's getting into some weird seal theory we don't need to cover right now. For now, what you need to know is that yes, we're covering sealing, and it's time for all of you to get ready for a lecture!" Kakashi practically sang the last word, and Naruto groaned theatrically. Kakashi knew that Naruto had been waiting impatiently to learn sealing and decided not to torment his student any further.

Midori chuckled as she stood. "I'll let you and your team learn in peace, Naruto-kun. I'm going to change and get prepared for my introduction to Harumeki-dono – would you be as kind as to provide me with a guard in the meantime?" Naruto nodded brightly and summoned a pair of shadow clones who followed Midori out of the garden.

Once the girl had left, Kakashi turned back to his team. "Sealing is an ancient art; some would say the oldest art of the shinobi. Essentially, it involves the use of a series of seal components to direct a flow of chakra to do something. Think of each seal component as a part of a machine; when chakra is directed into the seal, each component modifies the chakra in some way to make it do something different, eventually resulting in the end result, which can be… essentially whatever one wants it to be." His students were entranced, and Kakashi inwardly smiled – Naruto's parents would have been thrilled to see the excited look on his face.

Kakashi withdrew an explosive tag from his weapons pouch, and his students tensed. "I see that you recognize this as an explosive tag. Look at the storage scroll before you, then at this tag, and tell me what you see." The students pored over the two objects, and Naruto was the first to look up.

"Well, they've got different seals, to be sure. The tag has the symbol for "explode" in the middle, and a bunch of other seals around it, but the scroll has a whole bunch of the same seal over and over again." Sakura nodded at this and continued.

"I guess the storage seals are simpler, so it's just the same seal because each one stores an object, right sensei?" Kakashi nodded. Sasuke picked up, his Sharingan active.

"The Explosive seal isn't the symbol in the center – the symbol has no chakra. I'm guessing that's just a warning to those who find the paper. The explosive seals are all around it – they have a similar feeling to the storage seals… but different somehow?" Kakashi smiled, pleased.

"All excellent observations and deductions. Yes, the storage seal is simply this symbol here, while the explosive seals are those all around the central symbol. While a storage seal creates, as Sakura describes, a chakra matrix that stores the item sealed, the explosive seal instead compresses chakra and converts it into fire elemental energy. It can then be used to create the explosions you've almost certainly seen."

Sakura and Sasuke looked interested, but Naruto cocked his head at this.

"So… what you're saying is that a seal writer could create explosive tags that used any element of energy, right? Like wind bombs or lightning bombs? What if they wanted to use a type of energy that they couldn't normally use, like the Shodaime Hokage's wood element?" His other students gaping slightly at the dangerous notions Naruto was espousing, Kakashi grinned. Naruto's Uzumaki blood clearly was running in full force today.

"To answer your first question, yes, Naruto. Fire bombs are popular because they make the most sense and are the best known, but wind bombs and lightning bombs are also used, particularly in their respective nations. Water bombs and earth bombs are… less common, since their elements are less conducive to powerfully offensive attacks. As to the latter question, we don't know; nobody has ever tried to make a tag that used the Mokuton element, Naruto. Nobody even knows what sort of seal that would be."

Naruto nodded at this, and Kakashi could almost hear the wheels turning in his student's head. Hoping he hadn't doomed Konoha, he continued.

"Now, seal creation takes absolute precision – as you can see with the storage seal, these are all identical – drawing a seal even a few millimeters off-track could mean disaster, particularly if the lines intersect in a way they aren't meant to. Thus, today, I just want you to carefully and repeatedly write the symbol for the storage scroll." Kakashi withdrew three more scrolls, these ones blank, and tossed them to his students. Unsealing three each of ink blocks, inkstones, brushes, and a single small jug of water, Kakashi doled out the materials.

Kakashi returned to his book, secretly watching his team. While Sakura and Sasuke's disciplined minds found it easy to repeatedly draw the symbol, Kakashi could see even from a few meters away that their precision wasn't exact. For the storage seal, their limited degree of accuracy was still enough, since the lines were spaced enough to avoid trouble and the chakra being manipulated didn't require much finesse – but he could already tell that neither was focused enough on the task to become a seal-master.

Naruto, on the other hand, had taken to the exercise like a duck to water – having left a clone practicing nothing but calligraphy for a month, Naruto's handwriting, if rougher than his teammates', was more precise – and he was drawing the seal slowly and with a fine hand that grew ever more careful. By an hour later, Kakashi saw that Naruto's brush strokes, now growing faster and more sure, were practically perfect patterns of one another – and had he been using the right ink and chakra, the scroll he was drawing on might well have been useable as a sealing scroll already.

Thinking carefully, Kakashi decided not to let Naruto know that yet – he'd see how at least this lesson played out. He set the explosive tag before his students next.

"All right, I don't want you getting too settled on just one design – try drawing these seals now – again, try to get them as precise as you can!" With a groan, his team set about their task.

* * *

Contrary to Kakashi's belief, Naruto had already realized that his brush strokes were mirrors of one another. Feeling almost as though an external force guided his hand, he move onto the explosive seal, carefully marking it onto his paper the first time, then the second time, and more. He wondered why Kakashi hadn't mentioned his strokes yet and glanced at his teammates.

Sakura had her tongue sticking between her lips and was carefully marking one seal after another, making each brush stroke carefully and painfully slowly. Nonetheless, Naruto could spot tiny differences between the seals – differences his own seals did not show. He turned to Sasuke, and saw the other boy looking Naruto's own sheet. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and looked down at his sheet, where Naruto could again see several fewer seals drawn than on his own sheet. Sasuke looked to Kakashi.

"Sensei, I believe there is a significant difference amongst our abilities with this exercise." Kakashi and Sakura both looked up, the latter glancing at both Sasuke's and Naruto's sheets. Naruto saw her eyes widen.

"Hmm, yes, Sasuke?" Sasuke nodded towards Naruto.

"Naruto's seals are both better-drawn and more quickly created than our own. I believe teaching him at the same rate as us would be a waste of time." At his entire team's flabbergasted glance, Sasuke grew annoyed.

"I TOLD you I could compliment people if I wanted!" Kakashi chuckled.

"That you can. Now, honestly, here's the truth – I don't know much fuuinjutsu – I know these two seals, plus the lightning bomb seals and an alarm seal I like to draw on the windowsills and doorways of the room I'm sleeping in. I can teach you all those, but Naruto, you're going to have to find a different instructor to teach you anything past that – you can't become a seal-master just by learning the seals someone teaches you anyways – you need to learn the meaning behind it all."

Naruto nodded slowly, digesting this. He felt a warm feeling in his belly – the idea of having an art that he was the best at, which was all his own, almost made him giddy. Seals were POWERFUL – one was holding all the might of the Kyuubi within him, after all. But who, Naruto wondered, could he look to for instruction?

Naruto's musing was cut short by the dull headache and sudden rush of memories that accompanied one of his shadow clones being dispelled. He saw glimpses of a dark figure entering through a window, Midori looking at him with a shocked glance, a doorway –

And they all heard a scream. Naruto was on his feet in a moment, as were his teammates. Kakashi called out their orders. "Naruto, get to Midori-hime, immediately! Sasuke, you take the stairs – make certain that whoever it is doesn't escape that way. I'll go outside with Sakura and cover the window there!"

Naruto was already on the move, propelling himself into the air with a powerful leap. Landing on the roof of the walkways next to the garden, he dashed across the roof and leapt from the peak of the curved, slanted roof towards the side of the wall leading into Midori's room. He felt the rush again as his second clone vanished after a short struggle and redoubled his movement.

He saw Sakura and Kakashi racing out of the palace doors towards the outside, and scrambled up – Midori had no defense, he knew, and he had to hurry.

Grabbing the edge of the window, he vaulted inside, just in time to see a tall figure climbing over Midori's fallen desk to where the girl herself had tried to take cover. The enemy, who looked like a man, though Naruto couldn't be immediately certain, wore a simple white shirt and black pants, along with a black bandage wrap around his wais.t His burly arms were uncovered but for bandages around the arms, and further bandages wrapped his ankles above a set of standard ninja sandals. He had no hair and a rather prominent nose.

What Naruto noticed most of all, though, were the metal plate attached to the bandages at his waist, marked with a pair of differently-sized boulders struck through with a slash carved into the metal itself; and the cruel smirk the man wore as he plunged a kunai towards Midori. Naruto didn't hesitate for a minute.

"**Kawarimi no Jutsu**!" In a blur and a puff of smoke, Midori was suddenly standing against the window and Naruto himself knelt in her place, the kunai descending towards him. The missing-nin's eyes widened, but Naruto didn't hesitate as he raised his arm. The kunai struck into his arm, digging deep – blood splashed from the wound over Naruto's face and body, as well as onto the missing-nin himself.

"You picked the wrong target…" Naruto tore his arm free of the attack, and as the missing-nin looked towards Midori, Naruto cried out, "Midori! Run!" Midori hesitated, but before the bald attacker could take advantage, Naruto tackled him to the ground. With a grunt, the nin snarled at Naruto.

"If you're gonna keep being a pain…" With that, the man swiped at Naruto fast and hard, nearly slashing into his face. Naruto barely managed to dodge back. Midori had finally begun to run and Naruto distracted his foe with a kick. The missing-nin blocked it and hurled his kunai in Naruto's direction. As it moved, Naruto fell backward, striking his head against the corner of the table and setting his head ringing, but avoiding the weapon. His foe had already begun flashing through hand seals.

"**Doton: Doryou Dango no Jutsu**!" Reaching into the brick wall, the missing-nin tore free a whole chunk of bricks and mortar, shaping it into a sort of makeshift orb. Naruto stepped back in horror as the large sphere was lifted and flew at him. He hurled himself sideways, but the blow caught him in the side, sending him tumbling across the floor and coughing as dust arose from the shattered wall. Naruto formed several seals as he lay in the dust cloud.

"**Fuuton: Renkuudan!**" Spitting a spiraling bullet of wind at his foe, Naruto stood. The missing-nin grunted, falling back as the bullet struck him from the dust, and Naruto formed a single seal for his favorite technique.

"**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!" Naruto summoned several more of himself, who appeared to either side, grinning identically. Their foe's eyes widened and he took an inadvertent step back as Naruto and his clones crouched, ready to spring.

But he had no need to. Kakashi appeared in a blur of dust behind the missing-nin, and with a few silent seals reached forward.

"**Raiton: Mahi Fureru no Jutsu**" His fingers pressed against the side of the missing-nin's neck and Naruto watched as sparks spat across the surface of the man's skin. He twitched several times violently before falling onto his face, clearly unconscious. Naruto pouted.

"Hey, I HAD that guy, Sensei!" Kakashi grinned.

"Yeah, you did pretty well for yourself – but hey, why not take help from your teammates when it's offered, right?" Naruto sighed and slumped, allowing his clones to dissipate. Sakura and Sasuke came through the door with Midori. The girl slumped in relief when she saw that the fight was already over.

"Oh thank goodness. I was… Naruto-kun!" She dashed to Naruto's side and lifted his arm. Naruto blinked – he'd totally forgotten about the stab wound he'd suffered. It was already beginning to knit, the depth of the wound gone and the flesh within already pulling together, Sakura snorted.

"Don't bother yourself with him, Midori-hime – hurting Naruto is like punching a hole in water – he'll be better in no time." Midori didn't look convinced, but smiled slightly in relief nonetheless. Sasuke frowned, though.

"If there was an attack on Midori-hime, there could also be one on the groom, Harumeki-sama. Should we make our way to him?" Kakashi thought about this for a moment.

"I happen to know that Harumeki-sama is travelling here with a team of Konoha ninjas – he should be safe, or at least as safe as Midori-hime is. Nonetheless, Sasuke, you're supposed to lead the honor guard anyways, right? Go collect the soldiers and make your way out of the gates to find him and bring him to Ka-Shi. Naruto, take Midori-sama to another room to change and get ready for her betrothed's arrival. Sakura, remain here while I interrogate the prisoner."

Naruto blushed at having to guard Midori while she changed, but he realized that she was most comfortable around him, so it made some sense. Sakura seemed about to raise an objection, but Sasuke stilled her with a glance before nodding and exiting the room via the opening where the wall had been.

Naruto took Midori's hand, marveling at how soft it was, and tried to give her a comforting smile.

"Come on, Midori-hime – gather whatever you need, and let's blow this joint."

* * *

Once her teammates had left, Kakashi turned to Sakura. "Sakura, I would like you to take point on this interrogation."

Sakura blinked. "Wait, what?" When Kakashi didn't say anything, she felt shock run through her entire body. "Sensei, have you lost your mind? I'm a medic-nin, not…" Kakashi shook his head.

"I assume that you thought I meant to torture him – no. Torture isn't a particularly effective way to get information, though it has its uses. I meant that you should manipulate him. Use the fact that you're young and female, and that you don't look like a particularly intimidating sort. I'll stay out of sight, and you can let him think you were the one to knock him out. The shame and anger will make him easier to deal with."

Sakura could only nod. Kakashi smiled slightly. "I'm sure you're wondering why I picked you instead of Naruto or Sasuke for this?" Sakura nodded again silently.

"As much as he's grown, Sasuke is still… fragile. His mind is in turmoil, and has been for years – and no few months are enough to make up for all that. If I unleash him on a prisoner like this, there's no telling what sort of harm that might do; no, better to treat him carefully by now, and let him move at his own pace. I disagreed with the notion of letting him make his first kill so early – and he surprised me, pleasantly. Still, this isn't the time."

"Naruto, well, Naruto has a hard enough time with killing. Besides, can you imagine him being patient enough to question a prisoner, especially one that was about to hurt an innocent?" Sakura had to smile at the absurd notion. Kakashi returned it.

"You, on the other hand, have the healthiest mindset, and are most likely to be able to take a middle road. Being a medic-nin actually makes you the perfect person to deal with a prisoner – you know the sedation technique, yes?" Sakura nodded at this. Kabuto had made it the second technique, after the Mystical Palm technique, which she and Hinata had learned.

"Good. Just take it easy, and you'll do fine. I trust you." Kakashi's grin was visible even under his mask, and not for the first time, she wondered what he looked like under it. She shook the thought away – not the time. Kakashi stepped into the back of the room, behind the desk where the prisoner, now tied up and leaning against the wall, couldn't see. Sakura leaned forward and applied just the barest touch of healing chakra to awaken him, letting the pain from the man's abused muscles remain and seep through into his skull.

"Ugh… what… who…?" The missing-nin looked up at Sakura's calm smile and snarled. "You, girl! Were you the one who did this to me? Let me go, or I'll tear you apart!" Sakura wondered furiously what she was supposed to do – what she was asking for.

"Bitch, you get me out of these ties, or I'll bend you over that desk and I'll -" Deciding she didn't like his language, Sakura carefully drew a kunai from her holster, watching as the missing-nin's eyes followed the sharpened tip.

"You're not going anywhere. And you can't do anything – to me or to anyone else. So please stop blustering." The man sputtered at this and Sakura smiled angelically. Her smile seemed to confuse him into silence, and Sakura sat down before him.

"Were you hired to hurt Midori-hime?" The man said nothing, and Sakura wondered what she was supposed to do to make him talk, and decided to bluff. Looking at Iwagakure's symbol on his belt, she had an idea.

"Well, all right. If you don't want to say anything, I suppose I'll just call my teammates and have you transferred to Iwa -"

"No, wait!" The man burst out, and Sakura internally sighed with relief. So she knew his button, then. Time to press it.

"Oh? You have something to say? No, perhaps you can just tell it to the Iwa hunter-nin." The missing-nin's forehead broke out in a sweat, and Sakura smirked.

"But… if you don't want to end up in their tender care…"

The man started talking.

* * *

Sasuke hurried with the nine soldiers selected earlier to accompany him along the road. They'd gathered themselves in record time and had been out of the western gate within half an hour of his warning. Now, they quickly made their way along the well-paved road, hoping that they weren't too late.

The noise of horses and men ahead attracted Sasuke's attention, and he almost made a Konoha hand sign – realizing that the soldiers wouldn't recognize it, he instead just raised a hand to signal the soldiers to stop. They did, and Sasuke quickly scaled a tree to the side of the road.

Heading their way quickly was a fairly large group of people, both on horseback and on foot. They didn't look like they'd been involved in a fight, and weren't making any efforts to move particularly quickly. Sasuke felt relief run through him and hopped from the tree, motioning the rest of the honor guard forward. Sasuke straightened his uniform and the sword he wore at his hip – a single long blade.

After a minute, they encountered the group Sasuke had seen, a banner rising above them which Gendou had pointed out to him earlier as belonging to the Governor of Tanzaku Gai. The group consisted of a series of soldiers, several wagons filled with people and wares, and a few carriages. Most importantly, though, Sasuke saw at the head of the group a man in a Konoha jounin's uniform.

The jounin wore a bandana around his head and had a senbon needle in his mouth – but otherwise wore the standard uniform. Sasuke approached and bowed.

"Jounin-sama. I am Genin Uchiha Sasuke, on behalf of my sensei Elite Jounin Hatake Kakashi. Sensei is dealing with the aftermath of an attack on Asahina Midori-hime, and sent me instead to lead this honor guard." Sasuke stretched the truth slightly – he'd technically been meant to lead the guards from the beginning. Still, they hadn't known a jounin would be leading the team of chuunin, as it appeared, protecting the groom. Apparently the mission had been assigned a B or even A-rank, Sasuke thought.

The jounin nodded without expression, reading between Sasuke's words that everything was under control, but a young man sitting on a horse at the front of the small caravan cried out in alarm and spurred his horse forward. Sasuke took him in – the young man was handsome, and probably around Midori-hime's age, or a tad older. He was clean-shaven and had black hair pulled into a traditional topknot, and wore a fine, dark blue kimono that matched his eyes. A pair of swords sat at his side, and Sasuke wondered if he knew how to use them.

"What? An attack – is Midori-hime all right?" Sasuke studied the young man a little further, feeling awkward. He wasn't much of a comforting person, nor was he a diplomat, Both Sakura and Naruto had been assigned to learn diplomatic behavior – why did he have to be the one sent to this meeting? Sasuke sighed.

"Midori-hime is perfectly fine. The attack was stopped by my sensei and teammate before it went too far, and the attacker was captured." The young man nodded and smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry for being so impatient – my name is Harumeki Juntaro, and I am to marry Midori-hime, you see." Sasuke nodded, bowing in response.

"I see. Harumeki-sama, I shall escort you to the city then, to meet your bride-to-be." Juntaro waved his hand dismissively.

"Call me Juntaro. Harumeki-sama is somewhere in one of those carriages." Sasuke nodded again and turned to the jounin with uplifted eyebrows. The other ninja answered Sasuke's unasked question.

"My team and I will head back to Konoha – we were only hired to transfer the client to your team's protection. Good luck, Uchiha-san – and let your sensei know that Shiranui Genma says hello."

* * *

After informing Lord Mikaze of the events upstairs, Naruto had led Midori to a guest room which was swiftly furnished with the screen and other necessities for Midori to dress herself with a maid's assistance. Blushing, Naruto had been about to step outside, but at Midori's request instead sat in the room, facing away with a tomato-red face. He could hear Midori's voice behind him.

"Naruto-kun… I can't tell you how grateful I am. I mean, you've saved my life twice now. I can't even owe you my life, since I already do – I suppose I owe my next life, then." Naruto smiled slightly, imagining Midori's face as she spoke.

"It's no problem at all, Midori-hime! After all, we're supposed to be your guards, so we were just doing our jobs! I mean, if we'd been with you when that jackass burst into your room, none of this would have happened, so I sort of feel responsible for that." Naruto heard the maid gasp quietly at his language and grinned.

"Hah… oh, Naruto-kun – you can't feel that you had anything to do with that! You left me with protection that kept me safe until you could come and rescue me yourself. Even if it was terrifying, it was… thrilling, in a way." Naruto shook his head amusedly.

"Fighting is that way sometimes, I guess – you sort of get this crazy rush that makes you want to fight harder, even if you're scared or confused. In the Academy, they take a bunch of time explaining how you can't let that rush control you, or you'll end up getting beat down by someone who's still able to think." Naruto could almost hear Midori nod thoughtfully.

"I suppose that makes a lot of sense. It seems like being a ninja is a lot of work – do you think it's worth it?" Naruto didn't have to think to respond.

"Hell yeah! Being a ninja is the best thing ever! You feel like you can do anything, go anywhere, and like you're on top of the world! Your job is to protect people and help your village, and… well, there's no way to replace it." Midori hummed thoughtfully.

"That sounds incredible, Naruto-kun. Sometimes wish I had been a ninja…" Naruto chuckled.

"I mean, it's a lot of hard work too – You saw how Kakashi-sensei pushes us. But you get as much out of it as you put in, I guess, kind of like with anything, right?" Naruto heard Midori giggle slightly, and was quiet, listening to the quiet rustling of fabric. After several more minutes, Midori stepped out from behind the screen.

"So, Naruto-kun, how do I look?" Naruto took a deep breath as he felt his heart practically do a flip. Midori's hair was drawn into an ornate bun at the back of her head, only a few tresses escaping it to fall artfully about her head. Her make-up had been mostly done even before the attack, and had required only a few touch-ups, and her eyes sparkled from a hauntingly lovely face. Her kimono was of a dark, shimmering red fabric that looked like it almost had a light of its own, and Naruto exhaled loudly.

"Wow! Midori-hime, you look awesome! This Harumeki Juntaro guy is lucky to even be meeting a girl like you – let alone marrying you!" Naruto grinned but was confused to see an odd look overtake Midori's face. Her face transformed into a full, happy smile, but her eyes held a strange, deep look Naruto couldn't identify.

"Thank you for saying so, Naruto-kun – but I don't need Harumeki-dono's approval. Yours is quite enough." Her lips rising slightly further, Midori turned from the room and beckoned for Naruto to follow her.

It was odd, Naruto decided. Midori's words should have made his day.

So why did it fill him with a sense of worry?

* * *

**Technique Library**: Doton: Doryou Dango no Jutsu (Earth Mausoleum Dumpling Technique):A B-ranked Earth ninjutsu which allows the user to draw a huge chunk of earthen material, the amount depending on how much chakra is used, into their hands and form it into a rough ball. Regardless of its weight, the ball can then be hurled at whatever the user wishes to crush in its path.

Raiton: Mahi Fureru no Jutsu (Paralyzing Touch Technique): A B-ranked Lightning ninjutsu which sends a powerful high-amperage current of lightning chakra through the target's nervous system, causing their muscles to contract rapidly. This, in turn, causes the target to wear out and collapse after a few seconds of application of this technique, often causing unconsciousness from the stress. The user must touch the target to transmit the chakra, and though the technique does not take much chakra, it requires fair mastery of lightning chakra to use without accidentally frying the target.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

So, the big political mess continues this chapter – and will probably end next chapter. That doesn't mean you won't see these characters again at some point. That missing-nin, by the way, isn't an original character. So if you can figure out who he is, say so!

This chapter might have a couple more grammar or spelling errors than usual, since I was a little tired while editing it - if you spot any errors, be sure to let me know!

A couple of replies to selected reviews (and again, thank you very much to everyone who's reviewed so far):

_Black Bullet of Seven_: I think I've said this before, but I have no plans to abandon the characters I create – I'm going to try and have people Team runs into early on come back later in differing capacities, to help them in return for the help Team 7 provided. At least, that's my goal.

_theIrishWriter_: I didn't really think too far into where Naruto would have gone if he'd actually failed – maybe a subject for a future story, though! And don't worry, when Naruto goes to Wave Country, his family history will most certainly play a role. In fact, it already is!

_Shae Vizla_: Oh, this mission is far from over. As you can see, Kakashi is taking the opportunity to teach his genin what they'll need to know in life, and it'll pay dividends in their adventures to come.

_JGWO_: Um… I don't plan to have any drastic shifts in character like that, at least? And any actual pairings that happen will take a long time to surface, so don't worry too much about that; these kids are twelve and thirteen, after all.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	8. Chapter 8: Trials of the Heart

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 17, 2014

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 8: Trials of the Heart**

_Wherein Naruto relieves some stress, sets matters straight, and meets a master_

* * *

Naruto had expected dinner to be a quiet affair.

He had eaten with Lord Mikaze and Midori before; his instructor had believed formal dinners to be an integral part of a diplomat and politician's skillset, and carefully nurtured Naruto's manners and understanding of dinner etiquette. Midori, on the other hand, was determined merely to find a way to make Naruto truly appreciate something edible besides ramen noodles.

Naturally, this had been something of a lost cause.

Still, Naruto enjoyed such dinners – Lord Mikaze truly relaxed around his daughter, and Midori was, as always, a delight to be around. Today, he'd initially expected, would be no different. However, the arrival of Harumeki Junzo and Juntaro had changed matters considerably.

Dinner instead had become a small party to welcome Midori's suitor and his father to Ka-Shi, and Naruto's invitation to attend proved to instead be his presence on behalf of Konoha. Naruto would much rather have eaten with his team, but having accepted already, he was committed.

The meal started off simply enough. Juntaro was a handsome, articulate young man, and Naruto found himself initially unable to really dislike Midori's betrothed. Midori was polite and demure, even more so than usual, and Lord Mikaze allowed Naruto to sit and observe. The fly in the ointment, though, turned out to be Governor Harumeki Junzo.

Junzo was a heavy-set, tall man with a balding head and deep-set, piggish eyes. His small lips and large nose made him look like an ape, but Naruto could sense the intelligence beyond the flat, deceptively placid face. Unfortunately, Junzo was descended from a long line of samurai – and had a nobleman's distaste for shinobi.

"I must say, Mikaze-dono, it is entirely too kind of you to take in this little ruffian. He almost looks like a scion of some birth! You must be a surpassing teacher!" Naruto simply chewed the fish he'd placed in his mouth, trying hard to block Junzo's voice from his mind. Midori shot Naruto another uncomfortable, nervous look, but he only responded with a glance – it wasn't her fault, after all.

Lord Mikaze, of course, handled Junzo's misbehavior with aplomb. "Oh, but Naruto-kun has been an excellent student, and I have had much to work with. It really has been his success, rather than mine." Junzo, though, was not to be dissuaded.

"Kind of you to say, but I know these shinobi sorts, Mikaze-dono. No matter what veneer you put on them, it's like polishing a doryodango – it just takes a chip to show the dirt." Naruto caught Junzo's eyes flicker towards him. So Junzo wanted to see him act out, did he? Naruto ignored him entirely, the better to spite the arrogant nobleman. He looked towards Junzo's son, Juntaro, who continued to eat without comment, and felt a hot course of annoyance.

What kind of person would let his father keep acting like this? Junzo was being embarrassing, plain and simple – was Juntaro simply so inured to his father's actions that he didn't care? Or did he agree? Naruto didn't like it one bit, and it didn't bode well for Midori's marriage if Juntaro wouldn't even try to stand up for what was right. It was one thing for Naruto to endure trouble, or for Midori to stay quiet when her father's peer spoke. It was another for Juntaro himself.

Junzo turned to other topics, but repeatedly took shots at Naruto, again when a huge tray of sushi was brought forth, to ask whether Naruto had been taught to cleanse himself properly. Naruto almost snapped when Junzo sneakily implied over dessert that Naruto would be lucky to taste such delicacies that he'd probably never be able to afford again, but forced himself to stay calm. It was almost like a prank, he thought – Junzo wanted him to react, so he wouldn't.

As dinner ended, Naruto gave a sharp bow and left before Junzo could say anything else. It stung to see Midori's pleading gaze, and Juntaro's continued silence annoyed him. He needed to let off the stress.

Returning to his room, Naruto found Sasuke already there, wearing only his bedclothes. Naruto tossed off the formal kimono he'd been wearing, grabbing his uniform from the nearby drawer.

"C'mon, Sasuke. Let's go." Sasuke, to his credit, only quirked an eyebrow.

"Where to?" Sasuke had already grabbed his own uniform, and followed Naruto out to the window, which Naruto popped open.

"Out. Anywhere. I need to clear my mind. Let's spar." Sasuke nodded and thought for a moment.

"The barracks courtyard, then. It should be pretty open at this time of night, but a few people training won't draw much notice."

Silently, the two teammates hopped from roof to roof, Naruto steaming and Sasuke quietly waiting for an explanation. Once they reached the barracks, they hopped down and faced each other. Naruto fell into his Thunder God stance, Sasuke took his family position, and after a moment Naruto moved forward.

At first, there was only the sound of fists meeting flesh and the grunts of exertion as the two genin, nearly evenly matched, smashed into each other again and again. Naruto flew towards Sasuke, spinning to land a blow against Sasuke's block that sent the other boy reeling, then a low kick that he hopped over. Sasuke countered with a hooking punch that struck Naruto in the ribs, and then leaned away from Naruto's retaliatory high kick.

Sasuke was quicker and had better technique, but Naruto was stronger and ignored the blows Sasuke landed – they were evenly matched, and after several exchanges, Naruto finally spoke.

"I hate this stupid marriage." Sasuke tilted his head.

Naruto clarified. "I mean, this Junzo guy is an asshole – he won't stop mouthing off about shinobi, even though I could take him apart. He's like… one of those guys who believes we should be directly under the Fire Lord's control, or part of the army or whatever." Sasuke grimaced slightly.

"That seems annoying. Still, it doesn't mean anything about his son." Naruto shook his head.

"I know, but he just sat there and listened to it and all! Didn't say a word about it – just let his dad keep ragging on me!"

"Maybe he was afraid to? Maybe his father keeps him under a lot of control, and he doesn't really have the option to act out." Naruto considered this, but still felt annoyed.

"Still, that just means he's going to keep being a doormat for his dad after he and Midori-hime get married. I don't think he'd good enough for Midori-hime, is all." Sasuke stopped at this and snorted.

Naruto was nonplussed. "What?"

"So THAT's what this is all about." Sasuke's lips twisted into a tiny smirk. "You're jealous because he's marrying Midori-hime. You're just looking for a reason to dislike him."

Naruto shook his head violently. "No way! Juntaro just seems like a pussy, and like he listens to his dad too easily. It's not that I'm jealous, just that I don't think she'll like being married to him!"

Sasuke's smirk faded. "Naruto, what Midori-hime likes doesn't factor into this at all."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean that Midori-hime and Juntaro… they're both from noble clans. Marriages like this, marriages for practical purposes, happen all the time. They're pretty much the normal way things go. It's not just nobles here – noble clans in Konoha do it too. This marriage is important for that whole road plan we learned about, and apparently it's important enough that someone, probably Governor Tsume Kazuto, hired missing-nin over it." Naruto was unconvinced.

"Yeah, but that's not how it SHOULD be! Midori-hime should get to marry whoever she wants!" Sasuke gave Naruto a slightly pitying look.

"What should be isn't what is, and we have to live with the latter." Sasuke sounded like he was quoting someone, and Naruto said as much. Sasuke's face stilled, and then turned bitter.

"My… my family was once one of those noble clans." Naruto's eyes widened. Sasuke almost never talked about his family, and Naruto only barely knew what had happened to them from rumors and what little had been in the library.

"You, Sasuke?" Sasuke shook his head and continued, his voice sounding hollow and far away.

"My brother, Itachi… he was betrothed to someone. I don't remember… I don't know who it was, but I remember my parents arguing about it. My father said it was necessary, but my mother thought he was too young. It was just a few days before…" Naruto had walked over to his teammate and laid a hand on his shoulder. Sasuke started and looked at him, the strange look in his eye fading into horrible grief for a moment before glazing back into the usual indifferent expression Naruto was more used to seeing on his teammate's face.

"Let's get back to sparring. Now I could use a distraction." Naruto nodded and silently took up his stance.

They fought until daybreak.

* * *

As the sun began to rise, Naruto and Sasuke were awoken by a loud ringing noise in their ears. As they hopped to their feet deliriously, they nearly ran into one another, Sasuke ended up drawing and dropping a kunai, and Naruto cursed fluently. Once they gathered their bearings, they found themselves still in the courtyard of the barracks, with Kakashi and Sakura standing before them. Sakura looked tired and annoyed, while Kakashi held a piece of paper with an unfamiliar seal on it. The strange sound emanated from the seal, and as Naruto swiped groggily at it, Kakashi pulled it away and folded the paper in half, putting it away.

"That alarm seal I mentioned. It makes a rather horrendously loud noise, though it's only audible to the individuals keyed to it. You little idiots must have been exhausted to have slept through the pin pricking you." Sasuke looked down at his thumb, where a red welt had risen – where Kakashi had drawn the blood. The jounin's face was blank.

"This was a dumb stunt you two pulled – a couple of genin sleeping out in the city, where you could have gotten ambushed." Naruto, rubbing his eyes, quirked his head at this.

"Ambushed? By who, sensei?" Kakashi's face darkened at this.

"You haven't heard, that's right. The missing-nin we questioned – it turns out that he has a partner, a superior. Before we handed him over to the Guardians for trial and execution, we found out that he wasn't working alone." Sasuke didn't seem surprised at the new information, and Naruto deduced that he'd been told at dinner the previous day.

"It's not Sasuke's fault, Kakashi-sensei. I was pissed off so I dragged him out to spar." Naruto took the blame, but Sasuke shook his head.

"You didn't know about the missing-nin. I should have been more careful."

Kakashi sighed. "You're both morons, but you're fine and I suppose no real harm done. You'll get your own punishments in having to get through the day without any more sleep." Naruto groaned, but seeing the sun rising through the morning mists, he knew that there wouldn't have been time to sleep anyways before he and Sasuke had to meet their respective teachers.

"So, what can you tell us about the remaining missing-nin, Sensei?" Kakashi pulled a thick, small book out of his vest.

"Well, he's not in the Bingo Book, but from how our prisoner described him, he's probably a high B-ranked ninja with particular skill with Earth element techniques. He sounds pretty arrogant, so Sakura and I think he'll probably try to attack on his own, without getting further backup. Still, we need to be on our guard – fighting a B-rank ninja is no child's play for kids at your level."

Though Kakashi's dismissal of the team's ability annoyed him, the unfamiliar terms intrigued Naruto more. "Uh, Sensei? What's the Bingo Book? I think I read about it before – something about Hunter-nins, but I don't remember. And what exactly does 'B-rank ninja' mean? We're handling a B-ranked mission now, I thought?"

Kakashi chuckled. "That's not… quite what it means, Naruto. OK, for your first question – the Bingo Book is a publication put out by the Hunter-nin Corps, yes. It informs Konoha ninja about the threat levels and abilities of known missing-nin at and above B-rank. It's updated every year, so our enemy is probably fairly new to being a missing-nin. B-rank ninja technically doesn't mean much – just that a mission to fight him would essentially count as a B-ranked mission. There are other definitions – like that he could take a B-rank mission by himself, or that he uses B-rank techniques easily, but they're a lot faultier, in my opinion." The genin nodded at this, absorbing the information.

After a moment, Sasuke carefully asked, "So… if we could take on a B-ranked mission together, that means that we could beat this missing-nin?" Kakashi tapped his chin for a moment.

"Yes, but remember that the only reason a B-ranked mission is available to you three is because of my presence, and because of the extra training you've all had. Each of you is probably a low C-ranked ninja on your own, and together might be able to take this guy on – but it'd be fairly dangerous. If you encounter this guy, I'd suggest falling back and looking for reinforcements – and that's why I'm here." Naruto snorted at Kakashi's thumbs-up pose and sighed.

"I'd better get back to the palace and change – I need to meet Mikaze-sama in less than an hour." Sakura nodded – she'd need to be with Midori at the same time. Kakashi turned to Sasuke as the two left.

"So, what did you and Naruto talk about?" Kakashi's tone was neutral, but Sasuke could tell what the question really was.

And he considered very carefully how to answer it.

* * *

That afternoon, Sakura and Midori stood on the balcony of a pretty little townhouse belonging to one of the court ladies. In preparation for Midori's upcoming wedding, the women had begun to excitedly plan arrangements and select dresses – and though Sakura had once found such activities enjoyable, the degree of political maneuvering and scheming that accompanied it here in Ka-Shi had worn her out. Detecting her kunoichi companion's mood, Midori had declared herself in need of fresh air.

They'd made their way to the upstairs balcony, from where the courtyard of the barracks was visible. The samurai training there looked like toy soldiers from here, Sakura thought, swinging their weapons and milling about like insects. It was a strange feeling. She could see Sasuke, still wearing the uniform he'd been sparring with Naruto in – her old crush was dueling two of the samurai at once, and looked like he was holding his own, if only barely. She felt the familiar stirring in her belly and took a deep breath – her life was complicated enough without that sort of nonsense.

Midori was smiling, but Sakura traced her gaze out and across the walls, into the beautiful fields and groves that surrounded Ka-Shi. The trees grew flame-red in the autumn, and as the season deepened Sakura could see the flickering of orange and yellow too – it was like the forests were all aflame under the sun's bright light.

"I wonder what it's like for those peasants out there." Midori spoke at last, and as usual caught Sakura off guard. Her friend, for all that she looked like a princess, had a strange and abstract mind. Sakura shrugged.

"Probably a lot of hard labor – after all, it's harvest season, and the whole country depends on them to produce enough food." Midori nodded at this.

"That sounds like a hard life. Do you think they ever long of leaving it?" Sakura thought of her father's parents, peasants in one of the many villages near Konoha. They'd been thrilled at their son's acceptance into the Shinobi Academy, and doted on her with all the love of one who saw their legacy achieving glories they had always dreamed of.

"Perhaps. If, every day, I did work that others would reap the benefits of, I'd probably dream of doing something different." Midori gave a small smile.

"I read something once – 'man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains'. I wonder if it is ever possible to truly be free in this world?" Sakura thought about that – the peasants, chained to the land; artisans, chained to their work; merchants, chained to their carts and stalls; nobles, chained to their dignity and honor.

And the ninja – chained to their villages, Sakura realized, and in that instant she saw why some ninja became rogue missing-nin. That sense of freedom must be incredibly intoxicating – the ability to choose for oneself what one wished to do, and to serve nobody and nothing but oneself. Yet…

"Is it really what we want, though, to be free?" Sakura asked softly. Midori looked to her, surprised. "Freedom brings with it a responsibility – to do the right thing with that gift. When one is tied down, one only needs to follow their chain to know what to do. But when one is free, where to go?" Sakura remembered Iruka's lecture on missing-nin, from where she'd taken her words. It was a famous teaching of the Second Hokage – that though villages bound ninjas, they also gave ninjas a home, a refuge, and a place of peace to call their own.

Midori's eyes swam in deep thought, and she turned back to the sky. "Yesterday, at dinner… Junzo-sama was very rude to Naruto-kun." Sakura frowned.

"Really? Why?" Midori shrugged.

"I don't know. He just wouldn't stop making snide comments about ninja – Naruto-kun was very resilient though – he didn't say anything. He just let it all roll off his back. That must have taken an awful lot of courage." Sakura didn't comment on this, instead wondering why Junzo would target Naruto, or ninja in general, in such a way. She was thankful that Naruto had managed to summon up the willpower to handle it, though – this mission hardly needed a diplomatic incident. She supposed Naruto had handled worse in the village.

"Naruto is used to it – there are a lot of people in the village that treat him with a sort of disdain, and he pretty much ignores it. He probably just lumps Junzo-sama in with them as people whose opinions aren't worth worrying about." Midori's eyes widened.

"Wait, what? Why would anyone treat Naruto-kun like that in your ninja village?" Sakura paused, and found she couldn't really answer.

"I… guess it's because he used to be sort of a mischief-maker… he made a lot of messes, so maybe that annoyed people?" Though Midori seemed satisfied, if still displeased, Sakura continued to wonder.

Why DID so many people in Konoha dislike Naruto?

* * *

In the courtyard below, Sasuke's breath was ragged as his practice sword whirled to either side, parrying blows from both his opponents. The two samurai he was practicing against were well-trained and quick – Sasuke wished for the umpteenth time he could just unleash his chakra to prove his superiority.

He held back his frustration and used it to fuel his movements – Gendou had decided that if Sasuke was going to disobey his instructions to wear a training gi to the courtyard, he'd be punished with this new exercise – and a punishment it was proving to be. As quick as Sasuke was, fighting two opponents was still at the very edge of his ability without his chakra.

Sasuke lashed out towards one opponent's leg, but the other quickly moved in to take advantage, forcing Sasuke to again abandon his attack. Scrutinizing his foes' movements, Sasuke looked for an opening. He'd struck each foe once for a point, but had been struck once himself in return – He had to hit each foe once more to win this bout, and he had no intention of losing. Sasuke feinted to the left, the opponent to that side lifting his blade to defend. Sure enough, the samurai to Sasuke's right then moved forward to attack, opening his guard.

Sasuke took full advantage, lunging with a cry. His sword made a rapping noise against the samurai's chest protector, signaling a hit, but Sasuke immediately knew he'd overextended. The other opponent swung down, making a touch against Sasuke's leg.

"Point, Sasuke. Point, Ryoji – Match to Ryoji!" Sasuke clenched his teeth, but bowed to Ryoji, who was a much more respectable opponent than Shiro. The samurai nearby murmured congratulations to all three combatants, knowing that it was only the presence of a second foe that had allowed Sasuke's defeat. Sasuke leaned on his sword to catch his breath, and Gendou approached him.

"You had the skills to win that round, boy. What troubles you?" Gendou's hard visage didn't lend itself to an easy relationship, but Sasuke had learned to trust the harsh man. His thoughts flooded back to him – the reopened sores from the morning as well as the annoyance from the previous day.

"Nothing." Immediately Sasuke felt a cuff across the back of the head.

"None of that, boy. Whatever it is, it's keeping you from fighting at your best. So talk." Sasuke almost smiled at the brusque soldier, and nodded.

"Yesterday… the attack on Midori-hime." Gendou nodded.

"Yes, I'd heard about that. I heard that you and your team were able to stop it." Sasuke shook his head.

"Naruto engaged the missing-nin and held him until Kakashi-sensei beat him, and Sakura got the information out of him. I didn't do a thing – I was totally useless." Gendou frowned.

"And why didn't you do anything, boy?" Sasuke shrugged sullenly.

"Kakashi-sensei ordered me to go up the stairs, so I did – I ran into Midori-hime on the way, so I told her to go to Sakura, and kept going, but the fight was over by the time I got upstairs." Gendou looked at Sasuke pointedly, but he didn't understand.

"You didn't engage because you were ordered to block another path by which the enemy could escape or attack Midori-hime. That seems like an entirely honorable reason to have been away from the fight – and you should quit your whining." Sasuke's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Wh-whining?!"

"Yeah, what would you call it if a soldier were to complain that they didn't get to fight, but instead had to block the enemy's retreat to ensure victory? I'd call that whining, personally. So what if you didn't get the glory? You were no coward, and your orders show that your commander trusted your abilities. So get over yourself."

Sasuke fingered his chin, where the slightest hint of fuzz had begun to grow. He'd already resolved to shave it off before Naruto caught sight of it and teased him. Gendou's words were true – and more importantly, they FELT true. Kakashi had trusted him to stop the missing-nin if he fled, and to back Naruto up if Kakashi couldn't arrive fast enough. That was good enough for him. Still, there was the other matter.

"That's not all, though…" Gendou raised an eyebrow, indicating Sasuke to speak further.

"I… well; I had a conversation this morning that brought back some memories. Bad ones – about my family." Gendou nodded and grunted.

"Dead?" Sasuke made an affirming noise. Gendou sighed, and for the first time Sasuke realized how far they'd walked from the other samurai, all the way to the small alcove where Bishamonten, the God of War, sat in a small shrine. The old gods were rarely worshipped any longer, but in old places like Ka-Shi, the shrines remained. Gendou sighed.

"You know, I used to have a brother?" Sasuke started, and Itachi's face flashed before his eyes for a moment before leaving him feeling stupid. Of course Gendou's brother wouldn't be like Itachi. Only Itachi was like Itachi.

"He was a ninja… he went to the academy. My younger brother… I became a samurai, like my father, but my brother wanted more. He became a genin, then a chuunin. That was all long ago – before the Third War." Sasuke nodded, remembering what he'd read in the Academy of the halcyon days between the Second and Third Wars – a quiet time where the towering might of the Densetsu no Sannin, the White Fang, and the God of Shinobi dominated and protected Konoha.

"The wars of shinobi… are strange and secretive. Non-shinobi like me never hear of how they start, and don't know they're over for long afterwards, for the most part. We hadn't even heard of the beginning of the Third War when news came of my brother's death. We were told that he'd fallen in combat, but not against whom. They brought us the body afterwards for burial, but didn't answer any of the questions we had." Sasuke felt the old pains rise within him – the sight of his father, his mother…and the flashing images he'd seen for 72 hours in Itachi's whirling eyes.

Gendou sighed. "Old pains… they never really go away, Sasuke. They only fade. But you can either let them eat at you – or you can use them as your strength." Sasuke shook himself from his reverie. Gendou's old, haunted eyes met his.

"Don't let your old pains create new ones. Let them motivate you instead to work towards never needing to feel such pain again."

* * *

Naruto sat by Lord Mikaze in his teacher's study as the chancellor and Governor Junzo patiently negotiated the specific terms of the marriage contract between their children. The discussion was interminably boring, extremely formalized, and largely was retreading ground the two noblemen had discussed by letter previously. It also filled Naruto with a sense of sorrow and sadness for Midori, being bartered like a prize cow.

Terms like dowry, instatement, disposition, settlement, and even children flew between the older men and for Naruto to remain at peace took great effort. Luckily, Junzo was too busy with his negotiations to spend any time needling Naruto again. Juntaro sat beside his father, listening to the negotiations, and Naruto felt irritation at the thought that Midori should have been allowed to sit where he sat, with something resembling input on her own fate.

Once, and only once, Juntaro had begun to say something, regarding what issue Naruto never knew, since his father interrupted and spoke over him. Naruto uncharitably wondered why Junzo didn't simply marry Midori himself, for all the input his son had.

At last, the discussions were completed and the scroll rolled up.

"I shall have the court scribed transfer our draft to a completed contract with a blood seal, Junzo-dono. Thank you for your patience – I shall see you at dinner." Junzo and his son showed themselves out, the latter giving Naruto a strange look. Once they had left, Lord Mikaze set the scroll to the side of his desk before turning to Naruto.

"Something troubles you, Naruto-kun?" Naruto thought about hiding his frustration, but decided it was better to be honest. Maybe he'd feel better, at least.

"I'm sorry, Mikaze-sama. It's just… I… disapprove of Midori-hime's marriage." Lord Mikaze stilled, staring at Naruto for several seconds, and then looked as though he was thinking. Finally, he sighed.

"Naruto-kun, you are young. You have the world before you, and hold your ideals aloft like a torch. Yet… sometimes, in our world, decisions simply cannot be made based on what is right, or based on what one would prefer. Tell me, Naruto – why do you disapprove of the marriage?" Naruto almost chuckled – he should have known Lord Mikaze would turn the matter into a lesson. He was like Kakashi – always taking advantage of opportunities to teach Naruto something new.

"First, Midori-hime doesn't know or like Juntaro-san. Their marriage won't be built on any sort of respect or affection, and that's going to be trouble. Second, Juntaro-san always lets his dad tell him what to do, and never argues with him or anything, even when his dad's being an ass. Third, all of this (Naruto motioned at the scroll) – this whole thing is just like an economic deal – like the people themselves don't even matter!" Naruto finished passionately, but his voice sounded weak even to his own ears. Lord Mikaze's lessons dug into him like thorns, telling him all the reasons he was wrong.

The chancellor, though, didn't snap – instead, he cocked his head slightly. "Very well. Now, Naruto, why don't you use my lessons – and tell me why the marriage is happening?" Naruto slowly nodded.

Governor Junzo was in it for the road, Naruto figured. The road would bring him great wealth and prestige, but required the chancellor's approval. Thus, to make sure Lord Mikaze would approve, he'd married his heir to the chancellor's eldest daughter. Lord Mikaze himself, Naruto knew, came from an old but poor line of samurai – his exalted rank was due to his own ability, not family connections.

Thus, Lord Mikaze sought to secure his daughter's place by marrying her to a boy who would inherit rich lands – lands enriched even further by the chancellor's own actions. It was a brilliant move, Naruto realized – not only would he secure Midori's place, but he would ensure that her descendants would inherit the dividends of Junzo's road. Not to mention that Midori would be able to aid her younger siblings after being married, having high rank in her own right to host them and give them positions.

"I... you're right." Naruto said, defeated. He wanted to say something about love, or about happiness – but Juntaro didn't seem like a bad guy, just a wimp. Midori would prosper, and Fire Country itself would thrive from the new road. "Midori getting married to Juntaro is good for everyone. Even Midori, for all that she might not like it now."

Lord Mikaze, though, still was giving him the same enigmatic look. "Am I really right, though, Naruto? Is giving up a little precious joy worth it? Some would say that's a decision I cannot make for another – a decision that only Midori could make. Alas, that is not the world we live in, and I can only play my part to do what I think is right. It will then be up to Midori to play hers."

Naruto had no answer for that.

* * *

The following afternoon found Team 7 kneeling once more in the pebble garden over scrolls; inkstones, ink sticks, brushes, and water spread all around. Kakashi had once more set them to carefully inking the seal symbols, this time studying the lines on the original scroll and tag to identify the chakra that lay within each line. Kakashi watched Sasuke turn on his Sharingan to stare at the latent energy within the exploding tag, the matrix that bound its force within, the conversion symbol that transformed it into fire chakra, and the way the seals compressed its power.

Sakura's finger ran across a symbol on the storage scroll, feeling the tingling of the chakra underneath, ready to pull something inside and bind it there. Storage scrolls could not hold living things, but still the mild feeling, almost like suction, was there. Kakashi could see his students comparing those lines and the feelings they gleaned from them to their own seals – almost perfected.

The jounin then turned to his other student, surrounded by paper scraps. At Sasuke's suggestion, Kakashi had allowed Naruto to try his hand at creating a storage seal and an exploding tag the previous night, and he'd succeeded halfway into the training session. Kakashi had then given him his alarm seal – much to his dismay, since the boy had apparently finished creating an identical seal overnight – then had used a tiny dab of blood from Kakashi's demonstration seal to awaken his instructor with a blast like a foghorn the following morning.

Naruto hadn't thought it was as funny when he'd been sent running around Ka-Shi twice with one of Kakashi's attack dogs on his tail. Kakashi, though, had found that part hilarious.

Whatever Naruto was doing now, though, Kakashi couldn't identify – and that worried him. It seemed like Naruto had put the alarm seal and the storage seal next to one another, and was quickly scribbling something out. The exploding seal lay nearby and Naruto looked at it, then back to the paper he was writing on. Kakashi's eyes grew wide as he realized that Naruto was using the chakra-laden ink he'd given the boy specifically for creating real seals.

"Naruto! What are you doing?" Naruto looked up with a grin.

"Just a new seal, Sensei! Look!" Kakashi's heart raced as he looked at the seal Naruto had created – a strange, misshapen affair built around a spiraling power seal stolen from the explosive tag. He found, shocked, that he didn't know what the seal was – his enhanced memory couldn't identify it at all.

"Naruto, what is this?" Kakashi's voice remained deceptively calm, as the jounin carefully reminded himself that Naruto was only twelve, and notoriously reckless at that. Hacking together three seals to create a new one would seem like a totally reasonable answer to a boy of that age, particularly one as gifted with seals as Naruto. Clearly at least in this, his mother's blood ran true.

"It's a new seal! I made a storage seal, but I added the triggered sound from the alarm seal and connected it to a power seal so that it would amplify the sound, and removed the limiter that made the alarm seal only work on the keyed target! Now, if someone opens this storage seal, it'll make a really loud noise! Try it!" Kakashi caught a glimpse of his other students' horrified faces out of the corner of his eye. They, clearly, had listened to the required Academy lectures on how horrendously dangerous seal experimentation could be.

Naruto, equally obviously, had not. Kakashi found it almost stunning that after months of sending clones to the library, Naruto hadn't come across any descriptions of how dangerous what he had just done had been, nor of the many mishaps seal construction had caused throughout the years. On second thought, Kakashi wasn't as shocked – the Shinobi Library was meant for Academy students, genin, and chuunin – few of whom would ever even bother trying to create new seals, and if they did, almost none of whom would do so without help and supervision.

The "almost" naturally referring to Naruto.

"Naruto," Kakashi fought to control his anger and fear, "creating new seals is incredibly dangerous. There's a terrible chance of it going wrong, and using the wrong seal in the wrong place can cause anything from explosions to rips in the space-time-continuum. I understand that you didn't know – but what you just did posed a grave and very real risk to all of us."

Naruto's eyes widened. "But… but Sensei! It was so easy! I just… I mean, I felt the effects of the seals like you said, and I just put them where it made sense to – I mean… I didn't mean to cause… I'm sorry…" Naruto looked horrified, and Kakashi breathed more easily knowing that he wouldn't have to worry about the boy randomly experimenting again.

"Naruto, I understand, and you won't be punished – this time. But you must promise me that you'll never do this again without the oversight of an experienced seal-master." Naruto nodded fervently, and Kakashi wasn't the only one who breathed a sigh of relief at that – Naruto's teammates still looked tense, but with the crisis over, Kakashi turned back to the seal.

"So, Naruto, explain again how you created this?" Naruto did, and as he, Sasuke and Sakura crowded around, Kakashi realized that the explanation was going way over his head. Naruto wasn't using any formalized language, nor particularly saying anything revolutionary – but the concepts he was using instinctively and the ideas he'd stumbled upon were already measures above Kakashi's limited skill with seals.

Kakashi motioned for his blonde student to stop. "Naruto. Your seal is… well, it's a marvel. That you created it without any instruction at all in the theory behind creating seals is even more incredible. For now, go and practice your water-walking while Sakura and Sasuke work on their seals, but you should know that you're already miles beyond my ability to teach you – we'll have to figure something different."

Naruto, almost skipping, hopped over to the pond (and predictably slipped into the water within a minute, not paying enough attention). As Sasuke and Sakura went back to their work, Kakashi stared at his most surprising student.

What to do with Naruto now…

* * *

After their practice session, the team had been split up – Sakura had gone to help Midori prepare for another official dinner with her betrothed and his father, while Kakashi guarded the premises. Sasuke had the evening off and had elected to practice his swordplay. This left Naruto with another mission.

Naruto had been sent to retrieve Juntaro from the marketplace, where he'd apparently gone for a walk during the afternoon. Naruto hadn't begged or pleaded to be relieved of the task – he'd only asked once. With that request denied, he hopped across the rooftops towards the market.

Naruto spotted Juntaro standing before a stand with some jewelry, purchasing something, and wondered if he was buying it for Midori. Naruto snorted – he doubted Midori could be bought off with some paltry market offering. Still, it was a step in the right direction – maybe.

Naruto hopped down just as Juntaro completed his purchase and tucked it into his kimono. When the older boy turned around, Naruto gave him a sharp nod, and Juntaro returned it with a slightly nervous bow. "Oh! Naruto-san. I guess you were sent to retrieve me for dinner?" Naruto nodded again, and the two began walking back. Naruto remained very slightly behind his charge, knowing that it would make Juntaro nervous.

As the other boy glanced at him, a nervous bead of sweat on his forehead, Naruto felt bad for picking on him. After all, it wasn't as if Juntaro himself was responsible for the circumstances leading to the wedding. Naruto decided to begin a conversation.

"What did you buy?" His voice came out almost as a grunt, and Juntaro flinched slightly. Naruto coughed awkwardly, and Juntaro eased slightly.

"I… bought a bracelet. For Midori-hime. I thought it would be a good gift to give her before dinner tonight." Naruto was pleased at being right, if not necessarily at the subject matter. He nodded.

"Getting her a gift is a good sign, though I hope you aren't trying to buy her affection." Juntaro gave him another strange look, and Naruto realized that with his recent growth, he was only a few inches shorter than Juntaro.

"No, no… of course not, Naruto-san. I merely wanted to make a better impression…" Naruto nodded, not knowing how to respond to this. He remained silent. After several minutes, once they were away from the crowd, Juntaro spoke up again.

"Naruto-san… I must apologize to you… most deeply." Juntaro had turned towards Naruto, and he bowed at the waist, almost horizontal. Naruto was astonished.

"Wha-what for?!" Juntaro rose, looking almost mournful.

"My father's behavior at dinner two nights ago was inexcusable. He insulted you and was a boor. I wish I had spoken up… but I could not… I… I am sorry!" He bowed again. Naruto felt the annoyance from that night wash over him again, but grit his teeth.

"You weren't the one who said that stuff. You could have said something – but that's all you can really apologize for." Juntaro winced, and Naruto realized his words sounded harsher than he'd meant them. "Why did your father act so… rudely… anyways?"

Juntaro looked down. "My… my mother was killed in a shinobi attempt on my father's life several years ago. He's… disliked… shinobi ever since. He'll hire them when he needs to, but when he saw you at the table as an honored guest, I guess he snapped. I didn't say anything, because I was sort of shocked to see you there myself…"

Naruto was confused. "Why was it so strange that I was at the table?"

Juntaro looked incredulously at him. "Why was it strange? Is culture so different in Konoha?" When Naruto didn't react, he continued, "I mean… at the first meeting of a bride and groom, to have the bride's lover at the table…!"

Naruto's eyes popped wide. "What?! No… what?!" Juntaro didn't seem to notice Naruto's protest as he babbled on.

"Of course a girl as beautiful as Midori-hime would have attracted a ninja – and of course she would fall for someone who could tell her grand stories and all… my father said that this marriage was too important to allow it to fall apart, and Midori-hime seems like such a kind person – but to wave her lover in our faces like that! I didn't know what to do. And the looks you gave each other… I… Naruto-san, I am so sorry for coming between you and your love. I swear that -"

Whatever Juntaro swore, Naruto didn't get to hear it – through his shocked confusion, he suddenly noticed a surge of chakra and dove at Juntaro. Just in time, as it turned out, for a figure practically fell from the sky, a huge stone fist smashing into the ground where Juntaro had just stood. The other missing-nin, as Naruto was certain he was, stood up as the stone around his fist receded. Juntaro looked up with a shocked expression, but Naruto was already standing between the two, fists raised.

The missing-nin was tall and thin, with spiky dark hair and sideburns. He had pale skin and dark, slanted eyes, with a thin, pointed nose and wicked smirk. He wore a yellow shirt with a blue bandage belt, an Iwa plate with its symbol scratched out on it. His pants were white, as was his thigh-length haori, and black bandages wrapped his ankles and wrists.

"I see you managed to avoid my 'dark sky crusher' – very good, not too many of my targets see that coming! I guess I'll have to just tear you apart the old-fashioned way, then! Or… you could just turn over the noble brat!" Naruto was slightly amused at the arrogant, flashy way the missing-nin spoke, but honestly was more concerned – despite his bizarre attitude, the man supposedly would be a tough fight for all of Team 7 together (minus Kakashi, of course). Naruto frantically tried to think of a way to stall until backup could arrive.

"No way, you puffed up canary! You get to Juntaro over my dead body… Or, you could just run off to whatever hole you crawled out of!" Naruto decided, lacking any other real options, that taunting the criminal ninja was the best choice. Naruto could heal from most minor wounds quickly, and supposed that with shadow clones, could hopefully stall long enough to force the assassin to face him.

The missing-nin's face became infuriated. "You'll pay for that, kid! Prepare to face the wrath… of the Legendary Dark Ninja!" Naruto actually did laugh at the simultaneously grandiose and generic name. In fact, the tension was utterly shattered as both Juntaro and Naruto began to guffaw, unable to control themselves. The missing-nin's face twisted into a mask of rage.

"How dare you disrespect my power? **Doton: Doryuusou no Jutsu!**" The man smashed his fist against the ground, and a ripple ran along the ground towards Naruto and Juntaro.

Acting quickly, Naruto shoved Juntaro out of the way, snapped off a series of seals of his own, and cried, "**Fuuton: Daitoppa no Jutsu!**" The blast of air hurled Naruto into the air, barely dodging the spray of terrible stone spikes that erupted where he'd just been. Naruto, flying through the sky, saw the 'Dark Ninja' turn towards Juntaro, and realized he couldn't allow that.

He hurled a single kunai at the missing-nin and roared, "**Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**" The knife became a hundred, all pelting for the missing-nin in a vicious spread of steel. The assassin's eyes widened as he realized he couldn't dodge, but he formed a few seals Naruto recognized as a technique Sakura sometimes used.

"**Doton: Doryuuheki no Jutsu**!" From the ground, a wall of soil and stone grew suddenly, intercepting the incoming knives in a burst of shards and smoke as the shadow kunai disappeared on impact. Naruto, landing with a burst of chakra, saw that Juntaro had, wisely, begun to run for cover. Suddenly, though, the ground rumbled beneath him and hands grew from the earth.

"**Doton: Shinjuu Zanshuu no Jutsu**!" The missing-nin came from the ground, first gripping Juntaro's ankles and dragging them under, and then his thighs. Naruto had reached them by that point, and slid along the ground with a kunai in-hand, using his chakra to smooth the ground beneath him. As he almost struck the missing-nin's arm with the kunai, his foe cursed, and with a muttered replacement technique, burst away, leaving a bench in the middle of the street in his place. Naruto spun to the side of the road, where the bench had been, only to see a kunai flying at his head.

Naruto leapt backward and fell flat, the knife going over him, then rolled over. The assassin had regained his bearings and had begun to perform several seals. Naruto didn't know what sort of technique required that many seals, but assumed it was nothing good. He decided to try something he'd thought of, first hurling a kunai at the assassin.

"**Kawarimi no Jutsu!**" Naruto was dragged to the kunai with incredible speed, swapping places with it – but the surge of chakra immediately alerted the missing-nin to his presence. Abandoning his technique, the man promptly swung at Naruto, catching him on the side of the head even as he reappeared. Naruto was sent sprawling. Juntaro, who had just finished digging his feet free, cried out.

"Naruto-san!" Naruto cursed as the assassin's attention returned to Juntaro. The man moved quickly, almost instantly appearing before the noble boy. Naruto leapt to his feet and roared,

"**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**" Six more Narutos appeared, already beginning to move. Naruto hurled himself towards the assassin, the others using their own strength to slingshot him. As the assassin was about to ram his kunai into Juntaro's throat, Naruto slammed into the man's side with a kick. The furious missing-nin arrested his movement in midair and landed gracefully, but Naruto again stood between the two.

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easily. Like I said – you won't get him unless it's over my dead body!" Naruto spat. The missing-nin grew a sinister smile.

"I guess I'd better take this seriously, then. Prepare, boy, for your demise!" He formed a few seals, and Naruto tensed. "**Tsuchi Bunshin no Jutsu!**"

The earth itself rose around the assassin and formed into three copies of him, all grinning equally cruel smirks, and dashed for the two boys. Eight boys, actually, as Naruto's clones dashed forward and vaulted overhead with a united cry. A vicious melee ensued. Naruto himself dove towards one of the rock clones, smashing his fist, enhanced with chakra, into its shoulder. To his shock, he felt it snap off and fall away – leaving the rest of the clone alive and fighting. The clone smashed him across the face during his pause, and Naruto dimly saw his shadow clones being similarly mangled through the haze that passed across his vision.

The rock clones' ability to survive after being dismembered, though, clearly had a limit. Naruto, hopping away, saw the arm he'd broken off disintegrate into powder. The rock clones were brittle and Naruto quickly ordered his clones to use their kunai to shatter their counterparts. As the clones' battle continued, Naruto looked to the assassin.

Unfortunately, his notice came too late, as the missing-nin's hands formed the final seals of a technique. His face twisted in a triumphant smile.

"And now, boy, I'll have that dead body. **Doton: Dosekiryuu no Jutsu!**" Tearing itself from the ground with a roar, an enormous dragon-shaped monstrosity of stone and mud flew into the sky, a deathly ribbon with gleaming green eyes. The beast flew towards Naruto and Juntaro, behind him, began to mutter a prayer. As Naruto's two remaining clones, after disposing of their foes, leapt into the air to try and stall the attack's descent, Naruto desperately prepared a series of seals.

"**Fuuton: Renkuudan no Jutsu!**" But the spinning bullet merely dissipated against the dragon's surface as it flew nearer. His clones gone and his technique failed, Naruto resigned himself to throwing himself in the dragon's path to save Juntaro. As he crouched, though…

"**Raiton: Byakurai no Jutsu!**" A pale column of lightning crackled from a nearby rooftop and smashed into the dragon. The powerful earth technique roared as it continued for a moment, but the electricity crackled through its surface, shattering its insides. A moment later, it exploded, leaving shards of mud and dust to rain across Naruto's face. As Naruto coughed and waved away the cloud, he saw a figure leap from the rooftop and smiled.

"Perfect timing, huh, Sasuke?" Sasuke's face bore a victorious smile, and he faced the missing-nin along with Naruto. The 'Dark Ninja' bore a scowling visage – it was clear that he'd have a tough time defeating both of the genin together unless he broke out his best techniques, and if reinforcements were arriving, it was likely he'd quickly be overwhelmed.

"It seems you've survived this round, brats. Don't get cocky, though – I'll be back!" Naruto resisted the urge to burst out laughing at the walking cliché they were facing, and dove forward – but regardless of his strange habits, the man was as fast as his rank suggested. In a burst of speed, the missing-nin activated a body flicker technique. He was gone in a blur of dust and pebbles.

Naruto cursed. With the assassin lurking around, relaxing was out of the question – Team 7 would have to be on their guard for another attack at any time, though probably not until their foe recovered his chakra. Sasuke approached him. "Everything all right, Naruto?"

"Yeah. Just a little pissed that the guy got away – he was such a joke! Called himself the 'Legendary Dark Ninja.'" Naruto chuckled, and Sasuke shook his head.

"Overcompensating, I'd say. Just we two almost won – with Sakura, we'd crush him." Sasuke spared Juntaro a glance, and then turned back to his teammate. "I'm going to head back to the palace to inform Kakashi-sensei of what happened. You'll be fine?"

Naruto remembered, too late, what he and Juntaro had been discussing before the missing-nin had arrived, and opened his mouth to protest – but Sasuke was already gone. Juntaro, who'd hurled himself to the ground at the approach of the earthen dragon, stood up.

"I… that was…" Naruto nodded mutely. The two stared at each other, and then began walking once more. Juntaro started speaking again after a minute.

"What I was saying… I mean it even more so now. Naruto, I swear I shall not come in between you and Midori-hime. You deserve her. You -"

"Whoa! Whoa, stop – no, wait, what? OK, seriously… Juntaro-san… what the heck are you talking about?" Juntaro stared at Naruto like he was some sort of strange animal.

"You… mean… you aren't Midori-hime's lover?" Naruto winced.

"No. REALLY. No. Midori-hime and I are… just friends. She's really pretty, yeah, but… I mean… you're marrying her. No, I'm not… that." Naruto blushed. He didn't know how old Midori-hime was, but it was clear she was a good deal older than him. While to some degree, that appealed to his baser instincts, his conscious mind told him that it was a Bad idea, with a capital "B."

Juntaro still looked confused. "B-but… the looks? And… but…" Naruto shook his head. Maybe this was his chance to help Midori-hime out!

"Juntaro-san, I don't know what you thought you saw, but Midori-hime and I aren't… lovers. We're just friends, and that's all we'll ever be able to be, because she's a noble lady who's going to get married, and I'm a shinobi. Matter of fact, she's going to get married to YOU – so you'd better wise up and start acting like a human being instead of a doormat." Juntaro frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Naruto felt exasperated. "That! Stop being so weak! You let your dad walk all over you, and you didn't even think of asserting yourself when you thought I was doing… stuff… with the girl you were going to marry! What the heck is wrong with you?!"

Juntaro started. "What do you mean 'what's wrong with me?' What's wrong with YOU? How can you be so free, so disrespectful! There's a place for everyone in society, and we have to abide by it. If Midori-hime chose you, that's what I have to accept!" Naruto shook his head.

"That's bullshit, Juntaro-san, and if you really believe that, I feel sorry for you. Nobody is truly trapped – anyone can change what their life is, by really trying. So you'd better try." Naruto turned, seeing that they'd reached the palace.

"I won't be at dinner today. You should talk to Midori-hime." Naruto ignored Juntaro's protest and walked away. There was a strange buzz in his head and a stinging in his chest, but somehow he knew he'd done the right thing.

* * *

That evening, Naruto was lounging on his bed, reading a report on trade with Water Country that Lord Mikaze had assigned him. He didn't think Sasuke or Sakura got assigned homework, but he didn't mind too badly, since the reading was interesting. Naruto had never enjoyed homework before – in fact, he'd gone out of his way to avoid it. Maybe it had something to do with the practical nature of the readings Lord Mikaze gave him.

A knock came on his door, and Naruto called out, "Come in!"

The door slid open to reveal Midori in a fluffy bathrobe and warm-looking slippers. Naruto's eyes popped open at her loose, shining brown hair and the creamy skin visible in the crack between the sides of the robe. He blushed and looked away. "Midori-hime… what, uh… brings you to my room this late?" After Juntaro's assertions earlier that day, Naruto realized that this was exactly the sort of thing that fed that sort of misconception. He hoped nobody had seen Midori coming to his room, and fervently wished Sasuke had come back from his patrol with Kakashi.

"Good evening, Naruto-kun. I was merely planning to go to the hot springs, and wanted to know if you would be willing to join me?" Naruto's heart beat faster – he wanted to refuse, to say it would be improper, but his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and his ears rang. His breath shortened. Midori smiled slightly and continued, "I shall, of course, be taking three female samurai guards – but having you along would make me feel safer."

Naruto nodded slowly, and then asked, "I think we should take Sakura-chan along as well – I think it'd be safest to have a ninja in the female onsen with you." Midori nodded, though the gleam in her eyes dampened slightly – and for the first time, Naruto considered if Midori might… no, that was absurd.

Soon, Midori, her guards, Naruto, and Sakura were on their way to the beautiful hot springs near the Fire Lord's palace. Though artificial, the lovely rock formations and greenery around the site created the image of a pristine mountain clearing – a large boulder sat between the male and female pools, serving well as a separator.

Once there, Midori, Sakura, and the guards made their way to the female side, leaving Naruto to undress and sink into the hot water. The heat rippled across his sore muscles and relieved the tension he'd felt since the missing-nin's attack, and Naruto sighed happily. This was the place to think, he mused.

With any luck, Naruto thought, his pep talk might urge Juntaro to come out of his shell. He didn't know if it was likely, but it was, in Naruto's opinion, the only way the marriage to come would work out. Otherwise, the two participants would be locked in a perpetual cycle of awkward politeness and secret resentment. And that, Naruto was certain, was a fate he couldn't abide his friend suffering.

The missing-nin was another matter. As he'd found, Kakashi and Sakura had clearly overestimated his abilities – he was probably something more along the lines of a low B-rank ninja, if Naruto understood the scale properly. Naruto and Sasuke together were his equal – and the best way Naruto could think of to defeat him, short of siccing Kakashi on him, was to have one or two of Team 7's genin hold him down, either figuratively or literally, and have the third smash him.

It was sort of like in shougi… and then Naruto's train of thought was interrupted by a deep voice chuckling. No, Naruto thought, chuckling was too dignified a word for the sound Naruto heard – a sound which could more aptly be described as giggling. Giggling like Sakura when Naruto and Sasuke changed in front of her. Or like Kakashi reading his idiotic books.

Naruto frowned and wrapped a towel around his waist, approaching the source of the sound. Sitting on a mossy boulder, peeping around the side of the larger stone that separated the male and female sections of the springs, was the strangest man Naruto had ever seen.

The man wasn't attractive – in fact, Naruto would say that he was downright ugly, with a flat, long face with small eyes, a large, warty nose, and a wide mouth. His hair was shock-white, spiky and pulled at the back into a long tail – the bangs were held away from his face with a strange forehead protector with the symbol for "oil" on it – a symbol borne by no ninja village Naruto knew of.

The man's face also bore a pair of red lines drawn from his eyes to his chin, lines the same color as the haori he wore over a simple green gi, pants, and mesh armor shirt. The outfit was completed with a pair of traditional geta sandals and a huge scroll sitting next to him. Without a doubt, Naruto considered, this man could be considered three things – a ninja, a pervert, and peeking at Midori and Sakura.

Naruto respected most ninja. He didn't mind perverts – hell, Kakashi was a pervert, but was an excellent teacher; and the Hokage himself was a rather high-functioning pervert as well. But that last charge could not be borne.

"You! What do you think you're doing?" Naruto hissed. The man turned to Naruto, annoyed. His eyes took on a strange look and he had what Naruto could only call a double-take, looking away and then at Naruto again with widened eyes.

"What does it look like I'm doing, brat? I'm busy here! Can't you see I'm conducting some very important research?" Naruto's hands balled into fists.

"All I can see is that you're peeking at my teammate and the girl I've been assigned to guard. Get down from there or I'll make you." Naruto allowed himself some false bravado – he had no idea how powerful this man might be, but at the very least Naruto would make sure Midori and Sakura knew they were being watched.

The man's eyebrows rose, and he stared at Naruto for several moments like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just as Naruto was about to speak again, the man snorted. "You? Make me? Kid, do you even know who I am?"

Naruto shook his head. "Should I?"

The man leapt from the mossy stone with a cry, landing before Naruto. He commenced a strange, whirling, hopping dance that left Naruto gaping in combined astonishment and amazement. "Should you?! I am one who makes women swoon and children cheer – I am a warrior for justice and peace! I am the hermit of Mount Myoubaku and the sage of the noble toad race – I, young man, am the one, the only, the great Jiraiya!"

* * *

**Technique Library**: Doton: Doryuusou no Jutsu (Earth Flow Spears Technique): A B-ranked Earth ninjutsu which sends several ripples of Earth chakra through the ground or a wall towards the target – then causes several large, very sharp spikes of stony material to erupt from that surface. These spikes are capable of impaling a target and/or obstructing movement, but are rather brittle, unable to pierce denser matter.

Doton: Doryuuheki no Jutsu (Earthen Wall Technique): A B-ranked Earth ninjutsu which causes a wall of mud, stone, and soil to erupt in the area around the user, typically in a circular wall or a flat pane. This wall is highly absorbent of both impacts and chakra techniques, and hence is an excellent defense – if very chakra-intensive to those without very good chakra control.

Tsuchi Bunshin no Jutsu (Stone Clones Technique): A C-ranked Earth ninjutsu which creates copies of the user from rock. The copies are only a tenth as strong as the user, and are highly brittle – however, they can continue to operate even with their limbs destroyed. Only if their torsos are smashed will they be rendered inert.

Doton: Dosekiryuu no Jutsu (Earth and Stone Dragon Technique): An A-Ranked Earth ninjutsu that causes a huge dragon of stone and earth to fly from the ground towards its target, aiming to crush and rip. The dragon is filled with an animalistic rage that provides the technique part of its might, and is difficult to destroy without an opposing lightning technique.

Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique): A non-elemental D-ranked ninjutsu that focuses chakra into the user to create an immense burst of speed while sheathing the user's body to resist the damage caused by such acceleration. The speed of the body flicker is such that it typically creates a puff or cloud of dust or other nearby debris when the user disappears or appears – however, because of the sheath, it is possible for an enemy to sense where the body flicker will take the user. For this reason, the body flicker is only rarely a combat technique, and then only in the hands of a user with a predictive capability such as the Sharingan, as well as special training.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

This chapter takes into the heart of several characters' turmoil, and as you can see, things are spiraling towards a conclusion – next chapter will end this arc! More importantly, though, next character will include more of that infamous toad ninja…

A couple of replies to selected reviews (thank you very much to those who have reviewed):

_greenblue22_: I don't know about kenjutsu – related to what I said in an earlier response to a review, I've always liked the concept of hand-to-hand beatdowns being Naruto's style I may get him another weapon, but it's uncertain, and certainly won't be an early development. Fuinjutsu… well, this chapter should answer that. Any more would be telling!

_ZrPx_: I do, in fact, plan to adapt the material in at least a few of the movies – most certainly the Land of Snow one. Particularly with the team's experience with courts and politics, how could I not?

_Black Bullet of Seven_: Just wait for next chapter. Unholy combinations are fun.

_theIrishWriter_: The team's training during this arc will certainly come back in the future. As I said above, I may have Naruto use another weapon, but at present I'm uncertain. The note regarding Naruto's family history was about the sealing, yes, but the wood style seal is foreshadowing, though not necessarily for what you've mentioned.

_Dark Prime0_: I'll admit it's a hell of a time trying to keep track of who knows what, and how each person behaves – having only the four Team 7 members be PoV characters helps, since they're typically all mostly in-sync on the first issue. I refer to the PoV I use as "over the shoulder" mode – it's not quite omniscient, since we're just hearing one character's thoughts at a time. It's a favorite of mine when read, so I'm trying to emulate it as best I can.

_WxikkY_: I figured it was possible to create a healthy medium without having to resort to an extreme, since the central conceit of Naruto is (or was) a sort of warm, friendly atmosphere between the teammates and all. They live in a dangerous and suspenseful world, to be sure – but I feel that it's important to keep everything wrapped around that warm heart.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	9. Chapter 9: What the Moon Sees

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 22, 2014 (Updated September 2)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 9: What the Moon Sees**

_Wherein the team battles unruly hearts and a cruel assassin alike_

* * *

"_Should you?! I am one who makes women swoon and children cheer – I am a warrior for justice and peace! I am the hermit of Mount Myoubaku and the sage of the noble toad race – I, young man, am the one, the only, the great Jiraiya!"_

No matter what Naruto might have been prepared for, this was not it. He stared at the tall man with an open mouth for a few moments before working up the wherewithal to reply.

"You're… you're JIRAIYA? What are you doing here?!" Naruto wrinkled his nose slightly, realizing exactly what position he'd found the legendary shinobi in. "What are you doing HERE, for that matter?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Like I said, I'm doing some very important research, kid. I wander all over the Elemental Countries in the service of Konoha, after all. Now, isn't it polite to introduce yourself to others?"

Regardless of Jiraiya's apparent habits, Naruto bowed deeply – he could do little else to such an important member of Konoha's hierarchy. "I am Genin Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha, Jiraiya…-sama…" Naruto was highly reluctant to affix the honorific, but didn't want his behavior to reflect badly on his team. "I am here on a mission, guarding the chancellor's daughter, Asahina Midori."

Jiraiya nodded, glancing back at the crack between rocks where he'd been staring beforehand. "Ah, that'd be the lovely brunette in there, huh? Which would probably make the pink-haired cutie, what, your teammate? Not that I like them that young, of course!"

Even with the older man's hurried clarification, Naruto was incensed again. "Hey! Great warrior or not, stop perving on Midori-hime and Sakura-chan! They're way too young for you!" Jiraiya chuckled at this.

"Oh, hush, brat. There's no harm in a little peek – take a look yourself, might be good for you!" Naruto flushed brightly, thinking of the cleavage Midori's bathrobe had revealed, and glared back at Jiraiya's twinkling eyes.

"No way! That's just…" Honestly, the idea intrigued Naruto, and that alone was enough reason not to do it. He had a sudden notion – He was here with the great Jiraiya, and pervert or not, he must have known something he could teach Naruto; after all, he'd taught the Yondaime Hokage.

Jiraiya had begun to turn back to the crack, and Naruto hurriedly spoke up. "Hey! You shouldn't do that – if you get caught here, you'll get your balls chopped off or something, even if you're a big-time shinobi and all! Maybe I should go tell someone, since that's my teammate over there…"

The legendary hermit stared at Naruto incredulously. "Are you… trying to blackmail me, boy?" Naruto puffed his chest out, acting significantly more confident than he felt, and stared back. Why, oh why, had he decided this was a good idea?

The atmosphere was tense (as well as filled with the thick, burning steam rising from the hot springs) for a moment before Jiraiya's lip twitched. The older man then burst out laughing, clapping his hand against his thigh and practically falling over. Naruto frowned at this, but supposed it was better than getting his head knocked clean off.

"Ahahaha, that's terrific! You think you can blackmail ME? What, you gonna tell everyone I'm an old pervert?" Jiraiya's face relaxed into a grin. "I'm not just a pervert, kid. I'm a SUPER-pervert. Hell, I write a book series for perverts!" He drew from his vest a very familiar orange volume.

"You WRITE that thing?" Naruto cried out, both annoyed at the deflation of his plan and at realizing that the man before him was responsible for every time Kakashi had been reading as his team practiced something inordinately painful or humiliating.

"Sure do! What, you want a copy?" Jiraiya's eyes twinkled with amusement, and Naruto growled slightly. The older man shook his head slightly. "Y'know what, kid, I like your style. Not many people would've had the gall to try and blackmail me, of all people, once they knew who I was. You're one of Kakashi's brats, right? What's he been teaching you?"

Naruto filed away the question of how Jiraiya had known what team he was on, and under whom, for later. If a ninja of this caliber was possibly going to offer him training, it wasn't the time to start looking at the horse's teeth. "Well, a lot of stuff. Physical training, taijutsu, elemental techniques, hand signs, chakra control, sealing." Naruto suddenly hit upon a thought.

"Say, do you know any seal masters? I made this seal earlier today, and Kakashi-sensei said he couldn't teach me about seals anymore, because I was already past everything he knew." Jiraiya gave him a contemplative look.

"A seal master, huh? Well, you're in luck. It just so happens… that I'm the best seal master in Konoha!" Jiraiya posed with a thumbs-up, and Naruto groaned, wondering if the Fourth Hokage had ever done something so uncool, given that both his student and teacher did.

"Well, teach me sealing then! I learned to make storage seals, alarms, and explosive tags from Kakashi-sensei, and I made my own storage alarm! What seals do you know?" Jiraiya shook his head slightly. Reaching into his vest again, he withdrew a scroll clearly too large to fit there – Naruto wondered whether the vest itself bore storage seals to contain the things Jiraiya drew from it.

"Not that simple – seals aren't like techniques – you can't just learn them by rote, not if you want to get good at them. Here, study this scroll," Jiraiya hefted it at Naruto, "and learn the basic sealing techniques inside. It should teach you about basic seal components, seal cycling, and all that. Oh, and this." Jiraiya also withdrew a wooden placard about the size of a hand, and gave it to Naruto.

On it sat a strange, multi-component seal with a spiral in the center. "I want you to identify that seal, using the techniques on that scroll. If you can find me and tell me what that seal is, I'll teach you more." Naruto looked from the moderately large scroll he had in one hand to the placard in the other – this, he realized, was more knowledge on sealing than most ninja ever encountered in their lives. It was… an awe-inspiring feeling. Naruto gave Jiraiya a moderately-deep bow.

"Thank you so much! I promise you won't regret this – I'll figure this out, you'll see – Jiraiya-ero-sama!" Jiraiya stared for a moment, a tic forming over his eye.

"Ero…sama? Hey!"

* * *

Unfortunately, working out the seal wasn't as easy as Naruto had imagined. He'd first opened the scroll Jiraiya had left him with – a storage seal at the top had revealed a set of ink sticks, a fine inkstone, and several brushes. The scroll itself was a long instruction manual, and Naruto had quickly assigned a pair of shadow clones to deciphering and practicing its contents.

Not only did the scroll discuss the matters of individual seal components like the power seal, trigger seal, chakra matrix, and so on, but it also explained that these seals were made up of a series of strokes, all of which had meanings. Much like the Tiger hand seal signified fire; there was a jagged mark that also signified fire which was a part of the explosive tag. The power seal itself was made up of a cycling mark with an effect similar to the ram seal, which held and recycled power initially used to charge the seal array.

The scroll, as a whole, discussed these and other matters related to sealing – both basic concepts like the way chakra-conducive ink was used to hold the effect of a seal much as hand seals channeled the chakra placed into a technique, and more advanced notions like the conduction-dispersion strokes that separated a multi-layered seal's components to make them work in the proper order.

And therein lay Naruto's problem – not only was the spiral seal Jiraiya had given him by far the most complex one he'd seen, short of the one sitting on his own abdomen, but it was a nightmarish, multi-layered affair with several stages and contingencies. Unlike the "explosion" kanji that the explosive tag was centered on, the spiral symbol clearly had a chakra array attached to it, and thus was a seal in its own right – though one that wasn't identified in Jiraiya's scroll. Thus, Naruto resigned himself to reverse-engineering the whole seal through Jiraiya's notes and the seal components he COULD identify.

The bright side of this was that it made another matter much easier for Naruto – he was able to easily avoid Juntaro for the next three days. His time occupied with learning from Lord Mikaze, training with Kakashi (entirely on chakra control now, as Kakashi had agreed that Jiraiya was a far superior seal instructor to himself), guarding Midori, and studying the scroll and seal; Naruto found it easy to avoid Juntaro's gaze.

The other boy wanted to speak to him, Naruto knew – Naruto's cruel words days earlier had spurred the boy to seek him out to continue the conversation, but Naruto felt he'd said all he had to say – instead, Naruto sought refuge on the roof of the palace, where he could learn from the scroll under moonlight.

As Naruto focused himself on his studying, the three days passed slowly for his teammates as well. Naruto could tell that Sasuke and Sakura were learning a fair amount as well – they could both complete a storage seal now, and Sakura was able to occasionally draw a perfect explosive tag. Sasuke had more trouble, but his jealousy was tempered by his realization that HE could blow fire from his mouth, and so had little reason to be envious.

* * *

However, as the days passed, Naruto's abdication of responsibility for Juntaro's internal turmoil left the older boy going to an unlikely source for help.

Sasuke had continued to train – with the days passing quickly since the missing-nin's last attack, Sasuke had stepped up his training, knowing he had little time left before he would have to return to Konoha. As much as he disliked most of the samurai he trained with, there were a few who treated him with respect, and whom Sasuke respected in return – none more than Gendou himself, the instructor who'd patiently guided him through the basics of swordplay.

One morning, two days before the upcoming wedding, Sasuke was surprised when he arrived at the training field to find Juntaro awaiting him there, practicing swordplay against another of the samurai. Sasuke realized immediately that Juntaro didn't intend him to know that he'd been waiting for Sasuke – but his eyes flickered up and had a sense of anticipation Sasuke identified easily.

He warmed up as Juntaro completed his spar, finishing just as the older boy jogged over to him. "Sasuke-san! I was wondering if you'd like to spar?" Sasuke shrugged and rotated his shoulder, settling his practice sword into his usual Intercepting Fist stance Juntaro took a more traditional position before quickly moving forward with an overhead swipe.

As he idly blocked, dodged, and countered Juntaro's attacks, enjoying the swift play of the weapons back and forth, Sasuke wondered what had brought the noble scion to him – was it because Naruto was avoiding him? Sasuke deduced, based on his earlier conversation with his teammate and the tension that existed between Juntaro and the blonde ninja that they'd had words. Probably about Midori, Sasuke supposed – after all, they had nothing else to discuss with one another.

"Is Midori-hime well, Juntaro-sama?" Sasuke asked carefully, parrying a strike aimed at his leg before whipping the sword up for a slash at his foe's shoulder. The twitch on Juntaro's face confirmed Sasuke's suspicions.

"Yes… she is. We had dinner again last night, with our fathers." Sasuke knew that Midori's mother, who'd remained at Lord Mikaze's country home with their other children, was travelling to Ka-Shi with a shinobi escort. She wouldn't arrive until the day of the wedding – Sasuke found himself pitying Midori, who had been the only woman at the dining table with her betrothed, father, and father-in-law-to-be.

"Ah. Was my teammate there?" Sasuke knew he hadn't been – Naruto had been on the roof again, and Sakura had left him food next to his bed. He must have eaten it at some point – Sasuke had awoken to the maids taking the dishes away the following morning.

"No… Naruto-san was not at dinner," Juntaro paused for a moment, and Sasuke held his next strike back, waiting for him to complete his thought. "I… wish he had been; I needed to speak to him." Sasuke nodded.

"About what, if I may ask?" Juntaro's face twisted as he moved in to stab at Sasuke's midsection. Sasuke parried the blow – Juntaro likely wouldn't want to answer his query, but would have a difficult time avoiding the subject without seeming rude.

"I… merely regarding something he said to me." Sasuke nodded, wondering what Naruto had said as he moved forward and struck at the other boy's head. Juntaro blocked and responded with a pair of quick slashes towards Sasuke's legs that he hopped over. Clearly it had created an impact on Juntaro. He relayed his query with a tilt of the head as he spun and slashed towards Juntaro's sword arm, allowing Juntaro to respond or not at his leisure.

The two continued to spar for a minute before Juntaro spoke. "He told me that I wasn't assertive enough, and should fight for what I care about." Sasuke nodded silently. That seemed fairly standard to him, but perhaps to Juntaro it was more revolutionary a concept.

"Did he say it that way?"

Juntaro snorted. "No, no… he was furious with me because of… well, a misconception I'd had. He practically shouted it…" That sounded like Naruto, Sasuke thought as he parried another blow and turned on the offensive. Still, he saw the root of his teammate's frustration – Juntaro was passive to a fault – even on the attack, he seemed to respond to Sasuke more than direct the flow of the fight. It mirrored his attitude as a person, Sasuke found.

"What do you think, Sasuke-san?" Sasuke frowned at Juntaro's question, not expecting to be drawn into the issue.

"I have no opinion on the matter." Sasuke felt a twinge of regret at Juntaro's stung face. "But… if I were to comment, I would suggest taking Naruto's advice." Juntaro still looked worried.

"But how? It's not like I can just flip a switch…" Sasuke shrugged.

"Then don't. But you could at least try." Juntaro's face descended into thought.

The rest of their spar was conducted in silence.

* * *

In the meanwhile, Sakura found herself engaging in a very different conversation across the city in Lord Mikaze's palace, where Midori was being fitted for her wedding dress. Midori had sent all of her maids and fellow ladies out, but Sakura had remained for the other girl's protection. As the tailor quietly bustled about the room, pinning fabric and taking measurements, yards of beautiful silk cloth strewn about the room, Midori stood on a small stool, facing the window. The autumn sunlight fell across her features, and Sakura could see an oddly dark look in her eyes.

"Isn't it a beautiful day outside, Sakura-san?" Sakura nodded quietly, handing the tailor pins and cloth when he needed it.

"Yes, Midori-hime." Midori hardly wanted to talk about the weather, though.

"How strange it is, that the skies can be so bright and cheery. Terrible things happen, and it seems as though the heavens do not care…" Sakura raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean, Midori-hime? There isn't anything happening right now…?"

Midori shrugged. "There is always something, Sakura-san. Tell me, what do you do when your mood is ill?" Sakura started at the abrupt subject change.

"I… I like to read, Midori-hime. I take a moment to myself to read something new, and try to forget whatever made me upset." Midori's lips quirked.

"And what does Naruto-kun do?" Sakura's eyebrows rose again.

"Naruto… well, I don't know if I've ever really seem him in a bad mood, I suppose. He probably trains – both he and Sasuke, really." Sakura carefully watched Midori's face, which had relaxed slightly into a dreamy smile, her eyes having lightened. Sakura's eyes widened.

The clues had all been before her, she realized – Midori didn't just admire Naruto and his freedom – she was besotted with it. The very idea of the freedom and energy Naruto represented. Sakura blurted out, "Midori-hime, you mustn't!"

Midori's eyes turned to her with a look that combined confusion and annoyance. '_Annoyance at tearing her from her thoughts of Naruto_?' Sakura wondered.

"Mustn't what, Sakura-san?"

Sakura glanced at the tailor and bit her lip. "You mustn't… feel bad. The future might look scary sometimes, but there are good things waiting there!" Sakura cursed herself for her platitude, but Midori seemed to recognize what she was saying, and her eyes narrowed.

"The future should be my own, Sakura-san. That someone else has chosen it for me… that is what ails me." Sakura could understand that. If her parents had decided that she was to marry… Inuzuka Kiba, for example, Sakura supposed she'd be just as upset. But Midori had been brought up expecting this!

"Someone always chooses our futures, though, Midori-hime! I mean… whether it's our parents, or the Hokage, or whoever… it's what we make of it that matters, isn't it?" Midori smiled very slightly in response.

"When one sees the sun, how can one be satisfied with the moon, though – and if one was then told to live in the nighttime, how could one ever live with themselves?" Sakura grit her teeth – she didn't like those implications at all. It was hardly Naruto's fault he was nice to people – Sakura's mind guiltily flashed over all the times her teammate had once offered her compliments and kindnesses. To Sakura, it had been an annoyance once, and now a source of friendship – but to someone like Midori, cloistered all her life, Naruto must seem like the freshest breath of air.

"Perhaps the moon has its own charms, though? Instead of reaching for the sun and risking being burnt, is it not better to grow to care for the moon instead?" Sakura almost laughed at her words, remembering how hard it had been to quell her feelings for Sasuke – a distant star rather than the ever-present sun. Midori shook her head, though, stepping down from the stool.

"I appreciate your concerns, Sakura-san, but I shall choose my own course now. Thank you, tailor-san; I think we are done for now." And before Sakura could say another word, the older girl swept from the room.

* * *

The rest of the day went by as if it were molasses running down a particularly flat hill for both Sasuke and Sakura. While Sasuke wondered how Juntaro was coping with the struggle within his psyche, Sakura feared what Midori would do after their confrontation earlier. That evening during dinner, the two met at the pebble garden, full of words but uncertain where to start, until Kakashi arrived several minutes late.

"Sensei!" Sakura began, "I… need to tell you something." Sasuke grunted, the frown on his face indicating that he had something to share as well. Kakashi looked at his students' concerned faces and sighed. Naruto was on the roof again, working tirelessly at his sealing. Kakashi wondered what Jiraiya had told the boy that had gotten him so feverish – or was this merely Naruto himself, fixating on the art of sealing as nothing before, just because it was the first thing to really come easily to him?

Kakashi snapped back to the present and gestured at Sakura to speak. "Sensei! I, uh… have a report regarding the mission!" Kakashi tilted his head.

"Odd, considering our mission has just been to guard the principals of the wedding party – was there an attack?" He already knew this wasn't the case, but with Sakura as agitated as she was, she'd need to tell the whole story to relieve her anxiety – so better to set her up to do so.

"No! It's just… I had a conversation with Midori-hime earlier, while we were getting her dress fitted for the wedding, and she… um… she was saying that she liked Naruto, basically – as in, she REALLY liked him, and it sounded like she was planning on stopping the wedding! What should we do?!" Sakura's face was urgent, but Kakashi remained calm as he turned to Sasuke, who was blanching with the total shock of one who has been out of the loop. Which, Kakashi mused, Sasuke was – he'd been the only one assigned to the guards, and so had been far from the political world his two teammates had been immersed in.

Sasuke breathed deeply and nodded as if to regain his bearings before speaking up. "I… My report is merely that Naruto spoke to Juntaro-sama regarding his lack of assertiveness, and that I was wondering what to say to him, if anything?" Kakashi chuckled slightly. Oh, to be young and have such simple problems.

Kakashi hadn't anticipated that Midori would return Naruto's puppy crush, but didn't feel at all threatened – Naruto was a strong-willed boy who wasn't about to abandon Konoha. Instead, it was more important, he thought, to teach his other two students a lesson.

"The answer, Sasuke, Sakura, to your questions are the same – nothing." At the genins' shocked exclamations, Kakashi continued, "We should do nothing regarding Midori-hime's feelings, and should say nothing to Juntaro-sama. Sasuke, what is our mission!" His last sentence came out as an order, and Sasuke reflexively spoke.

"Our mission is to protect Midori-hime and Juntaro-sama until the wedding has been finalized, Sensei." Kakashi nodded and turned to Sakura.

"And Sakura, where does figuring out their romantic quandaries and psychological problems fall into that ambit?"

Sakura paused. "It… doesn't, Kakashi-sensei, but…"

"No, Sakura, it doesn't." Kakashi knelt slightly, so he was at eye-level with his students. "As ninja, we are hired to solve problems – yet every problem is created by other problems – everything relates in an interconnected circle, and solving one problem will set off other problems for other people. We cannot solve every problem for every person, and we cannot ensure the happiness or success of our clients – only that the mission be fulfilled."

Kakashi's voice grew soft, as if reminiscing. "I know it may feel harsh to you – and there will be times that you'll find yourself able to step in and help people beyond the means of your mission. Yet the mission must come before that – and here, there is little we can do." His students remained silent for a moment before Sakura spoke up.

"… I guess that makes sense, Sensei, but how do we know when we can make a difference?" Kakashi shrugged slightly, offering Sakura a gentle smile.

"You'll have to use your judgment, Sakura – learning what is and isn't in your power is part of what being a ninja is all about." Sakura nodded, but Sasuke frowned.

"That may be true, but…" The other two turned to him. "There's no way Naruto will agree with that…"

* * *

Naruto, as recently was his wont, was spending the dinner hour on the rooftop. The autumn night was brightly lit with stars and moon, and not a cloud was to be seen. Still, for the delicate seal inspection he was involved with, Naruto had attached a lantern to a hook planted into the wall.

Below the lantern, Naruto knelt with Jiraiya's scroll open before him, as well as the seal placard. He felt the unique energy that ran through it resonate with his own as he traced its design, trying to decipher its meaning for the umpteenth time.

He'd tried everything he knew, admittedly little, which might reveal the seal's secret, and had come up with nothing.

He had put together that the spiral seal in the center was some sort of power seal, a source for the energy that moved through the placard. Several components that connected directly to it were power dilutors and power convertors – both of which seemed totally superfluous without any apparent direction for that power, which instead seemed to thrum from the emitter seals in a residual pattern.

It boggled Naruto's mind how quickly he'd taken to seals. They were difficult to work with in theory, but by instead visualizing the effects each seal would have, Naruto found them almost intuitive in a way few other things were.

A scratching noise from the small trapdoor that led to the roof caught Naruto's attention and he turned to see a figure dressed in a beautiful silken nightgown climb up onto the roof. Midori nearly stumbled, if not for Naruto's quick lunge that allowed him to steady her.

In the moonlight, Midori's eyes glimmered like turquoise and her hair floated around her face with an ethereal glow. For all he'd protested to Juntaro a few evenings before, Naruto felt his heart catch in his chest at her beauty – not to mention another stirring he felt at her slender frame clothed only in the thin silk. His realization of this brought him back to reality as his face flushed.

"Mi-Midori-hime! What're you doing on the roof this late? I thought you'd be at dinner, or just finishing or something?" Midori's lips curved in a smile as she settled herself onto the roof next to where Naruto had sat.

"We did have dinner, thank you Naruto-kun. I missed you there, and afterwards, I made my way to the roof… to see you." Naruto gulped very slightly, chiding himself. Real ninja weren't afraid of pretty girls!

"To… to see me? Why?" Naruto had a fairly good idea why, though he felt it was better to play the fool – if his suspicions were correct, there was no way this was going anywhere good.

"Naruto-kun… You know why…" Midori's eyes bored into Naruto's own, sparkling turquoise meeting intense cerulean with the force of a wave meeting a Cliffside. Naruto was startled by the flush in Midori's own face, the raw emotion in her eyes – and in an instant he was overborne.

"Yes… I do." Midori placed a soft hand onto Naruto's own, and he was surprised again to notice how small and fragile it looked there, even with their age difference. A hot course of unease mixed with the lust and excitement in his mind to create a heady cocktail.

"Midori-hime… you… aren't very fond of Juntaro-san." Midori let out an unladylike snort.

"Not very fond of him? Naruto-kun… All my life I have been brought up to understand that the fate of a woman in my class is to marry for her family's benefit. To do her duty by her father, then by her husband, and finally by her son." Naruto saw the tears, long held back, surge in Midori's eyes.

"I accepted that fate, Naruto-kun. I accepted that I would be bartered and traded like a bolt of silk, a bale of rice… I knew nothing more. I knew nothing of such things like freedom, like choice…" Midori's head dipped, her bangs falling over her eyes. Entranced and horrified at the same time, Naruto reached forward with a trembling hand, but stopped as Midori's eyes looked back up, the tears coursing across her porcelain skin now.

"I was told I would be marrying the heir to Tanzaku Gai, and acquiesced – then, while I was travelling, something happened. Something neither I nor my father expected." Naruto nodded.

"The bandits?" Midori shook her head.

"No. No, Naruto-kun – it was you. You appeared before me like an angel to save me from the perdition the bandits were ready to subject me to. You rescued me and brought me home, befriended me and kept me company when I had nobody else."

"Sasuke and Sakura-chan -"

"No, Naruto-kun. Your teammates are brave and clever, but they were not the ones to offer their aid to me when I was in need. They did not spend their time listening to the concerns of a kidnapped girl on the road. And they did not confront my betrothed to try to make him a better person." Naruto flinched at this last statement, wondering if Midori was angry. Her voice carried a fervent intensity to it that he practically felt rather than saw.

"You… aren't… angry, are you, Midori-hime? I talked to Juntaro-san because I thought… I thought it was what you'd want…" Midori's shoulders shivered and Naruto feared for a moment that she was crying, or cold – but instead, he heard laughter.

"Angry? At you, Naruto-kun, never. But it served to contrast what I had with what I wanted. Juntaro-san is polite, kind, and weak. He is bound by his father and refuses to truly offer anything of himself. You, on the other hand, throw your heart on a platter every moment of every day – you are the very embodiment of freedom, Naruto-kun."

It took Naruto a moment to actually grasp what Midori was saying. His eyes widened as he felt the hot, plush press of Midori's lips against his own – his first real kiss (he, like Sasuke, had filed away his experience on the date of team assignment as something to "never think about again"). His arms were around her, and he didn't know how they'd gotten there – she was small and fragile, yet soft in ways that certain parts of his mind REALLY liked.

Naruto had no idea what he was doing and he wasn't certain Midori did either, but after a moment their lips left each other's, and Naruto stepped back in shock.

"You… you… kissed me?!" Midori's eyes had darkened into a deeper color, and a smile rested on her swollen mouth.

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I did. I had never thought I would even have the slightest chance at freedom – but now… the path lies before me, no matter how perilous it might be." And with a sweep of pale silk, she was gone, leaving Naruto behind, shocked and confused. Despite everything he'd heard and felt Naruto was left with only a single thought in mind.

'_What the hell do I do now?_'_  
_

* * *

The next day was the day before the wedding, and it passed for Team 7 as slowly as a tortoise, if quite a bit less steadily. Each of the genin had been assigned a role in the preparation in keeping with their training, as usual. Sakura was accompanying Midori once more, collecting the final accoutrements for the event and visiting a beautiful shrine dedicated to the goddess of love.

Sakura detected a strange new life in her charge's eyes, but after Kakashi-sensei's lecture was too worried to say anything. What would Midori do, Sakura wondered – she must know better than to think she could run away with Naruto – convincing the blonde to betray Konoha was like trying to reverse the planet's orbit.

Yet Midori had none of the despair she had expected, nor even the serenity she'd possessed even until the previous day – instead, she had a new energy that carried her forward – a purpose. Were she less aware of the truth that lurked in Midori's heart, she might think it was anticipation of her wedding – but as it was, Sakura didn't know what it could be.

Sakura quietly waited until the small party of ladies began travelling to another shop from the one they'd just left. "Pardon me, Midori-hime, but you seem… awfully cheerful today." Sakura was aware that she sounded like a complete dunce to the other ladies present, considering that Midori was to be married the very next day – but she didn't care. Midori would know what she meant.

Midori's smile grew if anything, along with Sakura's concerns. "Pardon me, Sakura-san. I merely have been enjoying the light of the sun and the freshness of the breeze. Don't you think the weather will be wonderful tomorrow?"

Sakura almost snapped in return, but held back her anxiety – not that Midori's thinly veiled assertions that Naruto had done or said something irrevocably stupid were helping. There was NO WAY, Sakura thought. Naruto would never betray Konoha. But perhaps he had tried to convince Midori to run, believing that it was reasonable under their mission's scope? And if he had, was that wrong?

Sakura honestly didn't know.

* * *

While Sakura slowly lost her cool under the onslaught of Midori's enigmatic behavior, Sasuke found himself becoming quite annoyed by his own charge's behavior. The Harumeki family's traditions dictated that a man who was to be wed should spend the twenty-four hours prior to his marriage in the solitude of a garden with only his ancestors to bear witness. Though not at Tanzaku Gai, fortune had dictated that a fine garden in the eastern portion of the city had been paid for by one of Juntaro's ancestors, a great-great-grandfather who was buried underneath.

There, Juntaro sat with a tight, troubled expression, trying hard to meditate. Sasuke, standing guard nearby, was focused on the sounds and sights that might hint at an emergent threat – but could not help but pay at least some attention to the turmoil that flashed across Juntaro's face.

It was quite remarkable, Sasuke thought, to see the differences between even his own male teammate and Juntaro – Naruto was often considered an open, unassuming individual, yet compared to even a noble scion, the blonde ninja was a paragon of the careful vigilance all ninja practiced. Sasuke could read Juntaro's emotions on his face – his desire for his father's approval, his anticipation of marriage with a beautiful girl, and his dread at that girl's disapproval. If the self-confidence Sasuke or Naruto possessed had been even the sole legacy of ninja training, Sasuke thought, it had been worth it.

Of course, there were drawbacks too – Sasuke allowed himself to wonder if the secrecy and constant immersion in violence that characterized the life of the shinobi had been the source of… Itachi's… actions. Would such a fate follow Sasuke himself if he chose to follow in his brother's footsteps?

It was better, Sasuke hurried his thoughts along, to instead think of more present issues. He strode over to where Juntaro sat and knelt into a prayer posture besides the other boy. Juntaro's eye cracked open.

"I thought you were supposed to be on guard duty?" Sasuke felt his ire rise – as if he was any less capable of guarding Juntaro from here than from a few meters away.

"I thought you were to be meditating." Juntaro flushed at this and turned away. A long silence followed before Juntaro's voice came as a whisper.

"I'm not ready for this." Sasuke silently shrugged.

Juntaro continued, "I can't… I thought I could do it, but… How can I? Naruto-san's shadow will always be upon us." Sasuke felt a fierce flash of annoyance.

"Only if you allow it to be." Juntaro looked at him, but Sasuke didn't look back, instead seeing Itachi hover before his eyes.

"The shadows of the past will only remain before you, blocking your path, if you allow them to be. Instead, you can – and should – rise beyond." Sasuke unconsciously stated the lessons he had learned from Kakashi and Naruto, lessons he didn't believe he'd fully internalized himself, but that Juntaro must learn. Sasuke had time – the boy beside him did not.

Juntaro looked stricken. "But how can I move past -"

"By taking control of your own fate." Sasuke stood, unwilling to continue the conversation. The metallic sting of the memory in his nostrils was raising his gullet, and he stepped out of the shrine.

He'd said all he was willing to, and it was now up to Juntaro to chart his own course.

* * *

With Kakashi himself watching over the wedding pavilion, where the bride and groom's families were gathering to organize the preparations for the following day, Naruto had been given the unenviable task of scouring the city for any other signs of the missing-nin.

Or, at least, the task might have been unenviable to anyone else, on any other given day – instead, Naruto found the lonely duty a welcome solace. His mind was lost in a heady swirl and for once he was glad that he wasn't accompanying Lord Mikaze – the wily chancellor would have spotted Naruto's mood in a moment – and Naruto was quite happy not to confess his teacher's daughter's behavior.

Naruto could not hide behind his previous ignorance of others' motives – Lord Mikaze had taught him well. Naruto could tell that Midori held a deep affection for him – one that could sabotage her marriage, if indeed she would even go through with it. He knew just as well that the marriage itself wasn't his mission, and that it wasn't his duty to care – but it was difficult not to.

Midori was his friend, and above all things Naruto counted himself loyal to his friends. That she was confused and felt trapped was obvious. That Naruto could do nothing to alleviate that was just as obvious. Were Midori's enemies merely a callous missing-nin or a series of bandits, Naruto would have been happy to use his kunai, fists, and feet to batter a way for her into a future of her own choosing; but society and politics could not be dealt with so easily. There was no magic key to such problems.

Instead, Naruto ashamedly thought, he preferred to run away from his problems, as he essentially was doing now – he didn't HAVE to confront Midori, her father, or Juntaro, and so he wouldn't. Realizing that he'd covered the entire southwestern segment of the city Naruto paused and hopped back onto the rooftops. Peering at the sun, he became aware that he was ahead of schedule.

Sitting down, he drew his scroll and Jiraiya's seal placard from the storage seal he had drawn onto his utility belt and began studying them again. He'd gotten no further in his examination the previous night, after Midori's visit. Nonetheless, with only a day or two left in Ka-Shi and no idea when he'd meet Jiraiya again, Naruto was desperate to figure the seal out.

Perhaps it was that very desperation, or his inability to focus that did it, but as Naruto stared uncomprehendingly at the seal placard, he noticed something he never had before – a strange wearing pattern on the edge of the wood itself. He had focused so heavily on the seal inscribed on the plaque before that he hadn't looked at the shape – an oblong, rounded rectangle. On the back was a sort of ridge that could be gripped, with the same spiral symbol as centered the seal.

Naruto realized he'd seen the spiral before, and pulled his vest off – sure enough, the same spiraling insignia stared up at him, sown in red. What was it, Naruto wondered? What symbol was so important that it was borne by every Konoha ninja as readily as was Konoha's own? And if it was a unique power seal in its own right, as he could see on in the seal Jiraiya had given him, what might that mean?

If only he had a key – and then Naruto had it. The layered chakra, the multiple connecting, warping power limiters, and the patterned emitters all made sense – the placard was a key. A key to what, Naruto didn't know, but it was a key all the same – the pattern was just the same as the notches on a key's metal edge.

Naruto realized he was standing up, and looked to the north, where he could see the hot springs.

He hadn't searched that part of town yet, after all.

* * *

Sure enough, Naruto found Jiraiya at the hot springs – upon the same moss-laden stone he'd encountered the toad hermit on before, in fact. Naruto approached him with a cry.

"Hey! Jiraiya-ero-sama!" Jiraiya looked down, irritated at the title, but slid from the stone nonetheless.

"Shush! Hey, brat, are you trying to get us caught? Honestly, what they teach young ninja these days. I thought I told you not to come back until –

"Until I figured this key out, right? That's what it is, isn't it?" Jiraiya paused, his eyes growing. He gave a reluctantly impressed noise.

"Well, now. That IS something." Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"What's something? Am I right or not?" Jiraiya took the plaque from Naruto's hand and looked carefully at either side.

"You've been looking at this placard pretty carefully for the last few days, huh, kid?" Naruto nodded. "Pretty annoyed that it took you so long to figure it out?" Naruto nodded again, this time with a slightly annoyed face.

"Well, you shouldn't be. It took me months to figure out what it was – and with a lot more experience than you." Naruto twitched, visibly startled. He'd figured out in mere days what had taken the great Jiraiya himself months? He knew that he was fairly talented when it came to seals, but this was a level he hadn't dreamed of. Perhaps, Naruto wondered, the seal he'd been implanted with as a child had somehow attuned his chakra to be better-suited for seals? He'd never heard of anything like that, but…

Well, no, that didn't make sense either. Naruto was able to think through seals more quickly as well – he shrugged, masking his thoughts with a blank grin.

"Stands to reason, right? I'm just that awesome!" Jiraiya shook his head slightly, a smile on his face.

"Well, a deal's a deal, brat. I told you I'd help you out and I will. I'm on a long-term mission for Konoha – can't come back yet, 'cause I'm not done." Naruto opened his mouth, but Jiraiya cut him off. "Still, I wouldn't renege on a promise – here." Jiraiya now withdrew another scroll far too large to fit in his vest and handed it to Naruto.

"This is a scroll containing many seal components, seal chains, and the basic laws of seal creation. Experiment with them, try putting them together based on their uses, and match them with the completed seals I've included in there. You should be able to come up with some interesting ideas – next time I'm in Konoha, I'll find you – and we'll see what you've learned."

Naruto barely had time to nod before Jiraiya made a hand seal and vanished with a blur, the steam around him swirling. Naruto was left with a heavy scroll in his arms and a swelling feeling of accomplishment in his heart.

At least, until he realized Jiraiya had taken the seal placard he'd worked so painstakingly to figure out.

* * *

That evening, Naruto stored his seal scrolls with the rest of his gear and joined his team for dinner for the first time since his initial encounter with Jiraiya – he told them all about what the elder shinobi had told him, and basked in their amazement and congratulations. While he'd detected an air of hesitation in Kakashi's praise, he supposed that his sensei was just wary of such a powerful shinobi being in the area – after all, why someone as inestimably dangerous as Jiraiya would have made his way to Ka-Shi seemed confusing to Naruto himself.

Sasuke was, as expected, slightly jealous but largely congratulatory. He'd accepted by now, after trying to use the Sharingan (the left eye of which had evolved to contain a second spiraling tomoe) to learn seals from Kakashi, that he simply wasn't particularly talented with the esoteric art. While it stung somewhat to realize that there was a subject Naruto excelled in that he simply did not, Sasuke had also realized that seals simply didn't suit either his temperament or his combat style particularly well.

Past the very basic ones, seals were largely created from individual components, since what components worked best for a seal varied by individual. This creative, experimental practice simply wasn't Sasuke's wheelhouse. Similarly seals were best used in combat (other than basic explosive tags) as either part of strange traps and ambushes or as prepared tools long before-hand – neither of which were effective in combination with Sasuke's own counterattack-laden style.

Sakura, on the other hand, had been wildly jealous, but not of Naruto's proficiency with seals. Instead, she'd found it almost unfair that Naruto had practically accidentally run into a ninja of the caliber and renown of Jiraiya in the course of a random mission – if Sakura had run into Tsunade, she'd bemoaned, she could learn an enormous amount about medical techniques, combat as a medic-nin, earth-style techniques, and more - but instead Naruto, lucky bastard that he was, had waltzed into the notice of one of the Legendary Three in a fluke.

Nonetheless, all of Naruto's teammates were happy for him, particularly since Naruto's new scroll would both enable him to aid them with the seals he could learn and create, and would prevent him from randomly cobbling together seals as experiments around them any longer.

After dinner, Kakashi split the team apart again, informing them that he'd be guarding the inhabitants of the palace, while the genin should once again scour the city's quadrants for signs of their opponent.

Naruto himself was sent to the merchant quarter near the gate Team 7 had originally entered the city through. At this time of evening, it was a quiet place, with barely anyone making their way about in the darkness. Scant lanterns lit the streets with the glow of pale fire, while the moon, risen high into the clear mid-autumn skies, burnished the city with a silvery hue.

Naruto himself sat atop a watchtower that stood above even the other high buildings of Ka-Shi like an oak amongst aspens, and looked out at the city – and particularly spotted movement near a set of hunting stables by the walls.

Later, Naruto wouldn't be able to explain what drew him to the movements – though it was hardly common for people to go out riding in the darkness, it wasn't so rare that Naruto's investigation was warranted – that he did investigate was partially attributable, again, to good fortune.

Or instead, perhaps, to fate itself.

* * *

Naruto approached the stables wearily – well-kept and stocked with fresh hay, they sounded with the noises of sleeping horses – and the gentle hoofbeats of one that was awake. Naruto quietly walked up a tree nearby and knelt on a branch, waiting for the intruder to step out of the doors.

He wasn't entirely shocked when a feminine figure swathed in a dark cloak appeared, leading a brown-coated mare. The mare's saddlebags bulged with supplies, and Naruto wondered if she'd been planning this for long – but no; he supposed, it didn't really matter. He waited only a moment longer before dropping down.

"Fine evening for a ride, Midori-hime…" Midori spun, her hood falling down with the motion. Her hair was bound into a simple, messy bun, and her skin was pale with nervousness. As she spotted Naruto, a strange, resigned look took over her face.

"Naruto-kun. I should have known they would send you after me." Naruto shook his head.

"Nobody knows you're gone, Midori-hime. Heck, even I didn't know until I saw you a minute ago." Midori looked a tad hopeful.

"So… you're not here to stop me?" Naruto contemplated this as he strode out into the pathway, before Midori and her horse.

"I didn't say that. I'm just not here because anyone told me to come out and stop you. I consider you a friend, and I don't let friends do dumb things like this!" Midori's eyes flashed.

"Dumb? Naruto-kun, this is hardly dumb. I've made up my mind – I told you, I've tasted freedom, and even that glimmer was enough to let me know I couldn't go back."

Naruto frowned. "People don't usually accuse me of being one to plan ahead, but… how far have you really thought this through? What the heck are you going to do once you run?" Midori shrugged.

"I'll admit that it will be difficult. I have only a few skills that would be any use, but I could probably find employment as a lady's maid for the time being. The roads are dangerous, but alone on horseback, I have a better chance than most at avoiding any bandits or patrols." Naruto grimaced.

"That's not what I meant. I mean, sure, you're smart enough to have figured out all the easy stuff, like how to stay safe, how to avoid your dad's men, and how to live on your own," Midori seemed about to protest the characterization of all this as 'easy stuff,' "but have you thought about the other problems?" Midori's brow furrowed.

"Your dad, for instance. Your FAMILY. You're leaving them all behind, Midori-hime, and you could never come back. Sure you COULD live in another world, but would you really? Is it worth it leaving behind everything you know and love, for something so... ephemeral?" Midori seemed troubled, but Naruto was building up a head of steam, thinking about Midori giving up all the things Naruto himself had never had.

"You can't just abandon all that, all of them! Sure, freedom is nice, but nobody's free, not really." Naruto thought of the seal that spiraled across his abdomen. "Everything you do has consequences – I learned that from your dad. Is this worth the consequences? Is Juntaro-san so bad that you'd risk the alternative – never seeing your family again, living a life on the run?"

Midori stared at the ground and Naruto was startled to see tears coursing down her face. Well, of course they were, Naruto's mind sniped, he'd been rather harsh. He extended his hand as if to take hers.

"Come on, Midori-hime. Let's go back to the castle and talk to your dad ourselves! I'm sure you could get more time to know Juntaro-san before the wedding, if we just ask! You could… I dunno, fake being sick or something!" Midori said nothing, but began to lift her hand.

But then Naruto spotted a rippling in the ground – a rippling movement he'd only seen once before. He didn't hesitate, moving swiftly through a series of hand seals.

"**Kawarimi no Jutsu!**" Midori, disoriented, fell over where Naruto had just been, while Naruto reappeared next to Midori's horse. He immediately dove to the side, but was still unable to fully escape the spray of dagger-sharp stony spikes that emerged from beneath his feet. Ribbons of blood flew from his leg, which had been partially-impaled before being torn away, but much worse were the screams of Midori's mare, which was caught directly in the technique.

Naruto carefully tried to avoid looking at the dying beast as he swiveled his head back and forth, searching for the missing-nin, but instead saw another underground wave of spikes headed towards Midori. With a shout, he hurled himself at her, knocking her away – at the cost of several spikes tearing into his utility vest. Naruto was pinned for a moment before wriggling out of the garment. He helped Midori up and turned around at the sound of footsteps.

The missing-nin strode across the small field outside of the stables with a superior smirk on his face. "Not bad, brat – you're certainly a tough little bugger. Maybe one day you could match the Legendary Dark Ninja Gantetsu – but not today… This time I won't hold anything back!" He made a single seal.

"**Doton: Dochuu Eigyo no Jutsu**!" Gantetsu's figure sank into the ground, disappearing. Naruto knew he had only moments before things turned into a melee, and spun to grab Midori by the arms.

"Midori-hime, I need you to… climb up this tree. Just stay up there and try not to be noticed – a lot of his attacks require the ground to work, and those that don't I can block – you need to stay safe, though!" To her credit, despite the fear coursing through her veins, Midori was able to nod and grabbed hold of the tree nearby. In her drab, comparatively athletic clothing, she was easily able to boost herself into the first layer of branches with Naruto's help and clambered further up.

In the meanwhile, Naruto watched the ground, but saw nothing. Instead, he flipped through a few very familiar seals and whispered his next technique. "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.**"

Sure enough, moments later, hands tore from the ground to try and drag Naruto underground, but he swapped places with his shadow clone even as it happened. The clone disappeared into smoke as an irritated Gantetsu arose.

"Learning some of my tricks, eh? That's fine – there's more where that came from!" Naruto idly wondered if his foe would ever run out of cliché phrases. He decided not to let the missing-nin continue to spray earth techniques at him – dangerous as they were, one might catch Midori. Instead, he charged at Gantetsu, who seemed mildly taken aback.

Naruto leaped through the air at the last moment and pivoted into a spinning kick which Gantetsu only barely blocked. The assassin countered with a powerful fist, but Naruto had already used the force of his block to roll away to the side. The two exchanged a series of quick body blows, none of which penetrated the other's block, but Naruto quickly realized he was at the edge of his abilities while Gantetsu was only warming up. He needed to figure out a way to alert the rest of Team 7.

As he hopped backward, thinking furiously, Gantetsu began creating hand seals again, but Naruto wouldn't let him complete the technique. He hurled a kunai before completing a few hand seals of his own.

"**Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**" Gantetsu rolled to the side, having experienced this attack before, and seamlessly completed his last couple hand seals.

"**Doton: Dosekiryuu no Jutsu!**" The powerful earth dragon roared as it pulled free, and Naruto felt sweat bead across his forehead – last time, it had taken Sasuke's timely arrival to stop the dragon's flight. What would he do this time? As the emerald-eyed beast flew through the air towards him, sharp teeth gnashing, the answer came in a flash.

Kakashi had pointed out several days prior that seals were usually made with a specific purpose – that a storage seal was meant for storage, an explosive tag to explode, and so on. This purpose, if exceeded, typically led to the failure of the seal, since the power and components with which it was made tended to align closely with that purpose.

But what about the one seal he'd made just as an experiment?

Naruto withdrew his custom alarm-storage seal from his belt pouch, fervently hoping that it would work essentially as intended. Swiping his thumb across the edge of a kunai in his holster, he pressed the bloody digit to the seal, holding it up.

"**Fuuin!**" With a cry, Naruto lifted the seal into the dragon's flight just in time; for a moment, though, it seemed pointless, as the dragon's force crashed against him, nearly hurling him off his feet. Naruto braced himself, anchoring his feet to the ground with chakra, and held steady – and slowly, he watched his seal do its work. The dragon began to disappear into the depths of the seal, its bulk vanishing away and a burning energy emitting from the seal as it was overloaded, scorching Naruto's hands. Still, he held firm.

And then the noise started up. Naruto had vaguely been aware that he hadn't keyed ANYONE to use this seal yet, and that his altered power seal would make the noise louder – but even he hadn't expected the spectacular results he got. At first, the sound began as the tinnying whistle Kakashi's original alarm seal made – but it deepened into a bass rumble – and then proceeded to get louder.

And louder.

Within a few seconds, the rumbling noise echoed through the field and across the city like a gong struck by a giant, and Naruto could feel the sounds moving through his very bones. The sound continued for several seconds, as Naruto and Gantetsu stared at one another, before slowly silencing. Naruto dropped the useless paper in his hands, its seal burnt out from absorbing the powerful technique.

"What…" As Gantetsu stood in shocked silence, Naruto took the opportunity to charge him, dashing forward and launching into a leap. The missing-nin managed to reflexively block the attack, and Naruto's follow-up kick, but the tide had turned – not that Naruto was any more dangerous – but help, Naruto knew, would soon be on the way.

Unfortunately, the flurry of attacks ended when an angry Gantetsu managed to shove Naruto back and smashed his fist into the ground.

"**Doton: Kengan no Jutsu!**" Naruto froze for a moment in shock – he hadn't expected the missing-nin to be able to activate his technique without even a single seal! Gantetsu swung at Naruto's head, and the genin only barely managed to duck under the blow – but the stony fist had turned with remarkable speed and smashed towards the ground, Naruto's head in its path.

Naruto lowered himself further, into a squat, and rolled backwards, allowing the fist's ground-shaking contact to hurl him away. He popped up onto his feet, but Gantetsu, an angry sneer on his face, was already headed towards him.

"You won't live long enough for your teammates to show up, boy!" Gantetsu swung again, missing, but this time he made a single hand seal as he swung past Naruto.

"**Doton: Doryou Dango no Jutsu!**" The rocky gauntlet around the missing-nin's fist suddenly crunched into an orb that fired at Naruto from less than a meter away. Naruto's breath left him in a huff as he was thrown back; slamming against the very tree Midori was hiding in.

Midori fell with a cry, and Naruto was barely able to catch her – but Gantetsu stalked towards them then with a leer.

"They'll find you both pinned here – and it'll have been far too late… This is what you get, for getting in my way!" With that, Gantetsu stomped, performing a few hand seals. Naruto tried to wriggle out from under Midori to counter, but he knew he'd be too late.

It was Midori, though, who saved them both. With a cry, she whipped a simple butcher's cleaver out of her dress, hurling it at a startled Gantetsu. The throw was wild and wouldn't have connected even if it had hit – but Gantetsu's hands paused for a moment. Just long enough for Naruto to free his hands and counter.

"**Fuuton: Daitoppa no Jutsu!**" The blast of wind sent Gantetsu through the air. He stabilized himself with chakra and landed, gritting his teeth, but Naruto was already standing before Midori again. As if to punctuate the assassin's bad luck, a series of footsteps sounded as Sasuke, Sakura, and Juntaro rushed into the clearing.

"Naruto! We heard the sound and we assumed…" Sakura trailed off as she spotted Gantetsu, who looked even more enraged. Sasuke simply nodded, while Naruto looked quizzically at Juntaro.

"What's he doing here?" Sasuke shrugged.

"He was headed this way too, and I thought it'd be easier to have him with us than running into a fight blindly." Naruto nodded, though he thought it'd be better in fact for the two non-shinobi to be out of the area entirely. Gantetsu seemed tired of the byplay.

"Enough! If you're all here, then you'll all die – simple as that! **Doton: Kanbotsu Ana no Jutsu**!" Finishing the technique he'd started earlier, Gantetsu slammed his hands into the ground, letting tremors run in every direction – then, all of a sudden, the ground beneath each of their feet simply fell away, revealing deep, dark trenches.

Sakura and Sasuke, fairly fresh, were easily able to leap aside, while Juntaro was lucky enough to hurl himself from the hole. However, Naruto, slightly disoriented and sore from his fight, and his leg aching and bleeding, was less able. He managed to push Midori aside, leaving her to stumble out of the falling earth, but Naruto himself barely managed to catch a grip on the edge.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed, but luckily the blonde genin's hand was still visible gripping the edge. At least until Gantetsu, a demented smile on his face, completed his next technique.

"**Doton: Houkai no Jutsu!**" Suddenly, the holes closed with a grinding noise as the ground pulled together once more. Naruto barely had time to cry out as the earth rushed in from either side, crushing against his ribs and back.

Only his hand remained, thrust out of the ground.

* * *

On the surface, he genin and their charges stared in horror at the ground where their friend and ally had just stood – only his hand, feebly trying to claw away at the earth, remained. Midori was the first to cry out. "No! Naruto-kun!" Her knees wobbled underneath her, and Sasuke's eyes flashed. He turned to the missing-nin with a deadly glare, saying nothing.

Gantetsu, though, was done playing games. He dashed towards Midori, prepared to crush her skull with the stony gauntlet gathering around his hand as he went. Sakura, though, met his charge from the side with a stone fist of her own. The pink-haired genin faced Gantetsu with a vicious glare.

"Sasuke! Get Naruto out of there!" With that, she parried Gantetsu's first enormous blow with her own gauntlet before countering it with a vicious, crushing fist of her own. There was no beautiful dance between the two earth-users – instead, the massive stone fists crashed together back and forth like hammers bashing against one another – sparks and dust flew, but no victor was to be had.

In the meanwhile, Sasuke didn't hesitate, but instead vaulted past Sakura, flipping through hand seals. His technique, he worried, wasn't particularly precise – hopefully he wouldn't hit Naruto himself.

"**Raiton: Byakurai no Jutsu!**" The pale flash of his favored lightning-element technique blazed into the ground, smashing and churning the superheated earth. He sliced through it, but stopped instantly as he heard Naruto's cry.

"I'm free! Sasuke, no more!" Sasuke pushed his hands into the ground, his heart beating, and grabbed as soon as he felt the shredded remnants of Naruto's uniform shirt. He dragged the other genin up and hurled him to the surface, where Naruto gasped for breath. His mouth filled with dust and his ribs shattered and aching, Naruto was barely able to roll over on his own, but as soon as Sasuke could tell he was alive, he'd already spun to his other teammate's aid.

Sakura was quickly having the worst of her fight with the missing-nin. As a support ninja, she was vulnerable in a fight even against a single foe at the level of Naruto or Sasuke – against Gantetsu she was being run ragged. Though she had parried his blows for the minute it took Sasuke to free Naruto, Gantetsu had finally landed a smashing blow against her side, sending her spiraling against the stable wall.

The crazed missing-nin turned to Sasuke, who glanced at Sakura, who got up with a pale face and her hand splayed over her side – though she could heal herself, Sasuke thought, she was probably out for the battle at least. He motioned her over to where Naruto was groaning, and she nodded, limping towards him.

"You're the brat that ambushed me during my last attack, weren't you?" Gantetsu growled at Sasuke. Sasuke didn't give the missing-nin the benefit of a reply, instead racing through scenarios in his mind. His silence didn't stop Gantetsu from speaking, though.

"Well, this time, I'll get my revenge! You'll pay, just like your friends!" Sasuke sympathized now with Naruto's earlier annoyance regarding the missing-nin's apparently never-ending bag of villainous clichés.

"Do you ever shut up?" Gantetsu roared at this and charged towards Sasuke, who flicked his eyes back. Sakura was kneeling over Naruto, hopefully healing him. To the other side, Juntaro had raced over to Midori and was helping her up – hopefully they'd have the sense to get out of the makeshift arena.

As Gantetsu came in, another stony fist formed already, Sasuke didn't bother ducking, instead creating a few hand seals at the last moment.

"**Raiton: Seidenki no Jutsu!**" A burst of electricity ran across Sasuke's skin, flaring into a veritable aura of electricity. As the missing-nin's blow entered the field, the lightning flared across his stony gauntlet, shattering it and blowing it into dust. Part of it was still intact, though, as the fist landed. Sasuke felt his shoulder crack under the strike, even through his block, and was sent catapulting away. Gantetsu still screamed in pain as the electricity scorched through him. He managed to shake it off and looked at Sasuke, who was still sparking with the flowing static.

"Want to try that again?" Gantetsu stepped forward, but paused. Instead, a dark smile formed on his face.

"Nah. Got a better one. "**Doton: Iwa no Yari no Jutsu!**" As Sasuke watched, transfixed, pebbles and dust all around the missing-nin formed in his hand together, creating a long, slender spear of stone. The deadly-looking weapon hovered in midair before Gantetsu's hand flicked – and the spear flew like an arrow

Directly towards Midori and Juntaro.

* * *

Sakura gritted her teeth as she carefully held her hands over Naruto's pulverized ribs – something within him was helping her – his bloodline, she supposed, and the bones were knitting together well. Still, the extent of the damage was too much for her to heal quickly, especially after having set her own ribs in place before. The budding medic-nin felt her chakra flagging, and hoped she'd have enough to heal Naruto into something resembling fighting ability.

She looked up at Gantetsu's cry, though, as his stone weapon flew through the air. "Say goodbye to the princess, brat!" The spear flew through the air gracefully, flying towards Midori and Juntaro. Naruto, on the ground, tried to stir, but couldn't – and Sakura instinctively knew she couldn't make it. Sasuke, standing near the missing-nin, tried to lunge forward, but the spear was past him before he could complete his motion.

Midori's eyes widened, her pupils dilated. Sakura felt her heart in her mouth as the spear flew towards the older girl's chest almost too fast to see, and felt a scream bubbling up.

Suddenly, Juntaro was in the way, his long sword raised. He cried out as the spear came towards him – and Sakura felt a crazy burst of laughter trying to escape her. After all they'd seen and been through, this was when he grew a spine? She was halfway on her feet when a third form appeared between Juntaro and the spear.

Juntaro fell onto his back, shock in his eyes and tremors running through his skin at the death which had almost been upon him. Midori, immediately behind him, grabbed his shoulder, but her grip loosened slightly when she saw that he was all right.

All right, Sakura saw, because of the man standing between the two young nobles and the spear which had meant their certain doom only moments before.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Kakashi's visible eye still held the bored look it usually did as he dropped the spear he'd caught in midair, but there was a hint of malice hidden within it as he stared at Gantetsu, who had gone the color of old porridge.

"Hatake Ka-kakashi?! What are you doing here?" Kakashi grinned.

"Oh, this and that. You'd have thought someone trying to kill a couple of nobles would have done more research on the ninjas guarding them, hmm?" Gantetsu scrambled backwards, looking wildly between Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura, who had just stood up. Sakura could see him doing the math.

"I… I can't…" He turned and leapt, but he'd counted wrong – there weren't three threats, but four.

One of Naruto's shadow clones created long before and waiting through the entire fight, leapt from a bush towards Gantetsu's legs, wrapping around them entirely like a human bolas. The missing-nin fell with a cry, trying to scramble away – but Sakura was already onto him, having been the closest to Gantetsu's escape route.

"**Chinsei Joutai no Jutsu!**" With a press of her fingers to either side of the missing-nin's neck, Sakura focused her chakra and let it spiral into his system – and he dropped like a stone. After the vast numbers of techniques he'd used, Sakura's assumption had paid off – the missing-nin was tired, practically exhausted already.

Kakashi clapped slowly as Sakura turned around, and Naruto managed to push himself into a sitting posture. "Well, that's taken care of. Why don't we get you all back to the palace for a good rest?" He said nothing further as he turned to walk away, and glancing in Sakura's direction, Sasuke followed, holding his cracked shoulder. Sakura wrapped her arm under Naruto's own and hoisted him up.

"Now don't get any funny ideas, tough guy. I'm just doing this for your health." she playfully said. Naruto, a weary smile on his face, shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it, doc. Been through a bit too much together for that."

As the two genin limped forward, Sakura heard Juntaro and Midori speaking quietly behind them and studiously avoided looking back.

"… but if… if you don't want to, I shall speak to our fathers, and…" Juntaro's voice was soft, almost pleading – but there was an air of confidence it had lacked even earlier that day.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary." Midori's usually dreamy voice had a hint of worldly understanding. "I admit that… you are not what I had wanted. But you could be. You are a good man, Juntaro-sama." Sakura could almost hear Juntaro blush.

"You don't need to call me that, Midori-hime."

"Very well… Juntaro-kun."

Sakura smiled.

* * *

Three days later, the evening found Kakashi and his genin squad on the road once more – although this time, their destination was finally back home to Konoha. As they ran down the road, two days left on their journey from Ka-Shi to Konoha, Kakashi took a moment to contemplate all that had happened.

Despite the intervention of bandits, assassins, and a runaway bride; the wedding had gone off without a hitch in the end – and in fact better than anyone had planned, with Midori and Juntaro looking truly happy with the proceedings. Sakura had teared up during the ceremony, as had Naruto no matter how much he'd fiercely refused to admit it.

Juntaro had offered his gratitude to the ninja for helping him grow up and for saving his and his bride's life and Midori had announced a toast to the ninjas of Konoha. Lord Mikaze had gladly forwarded the mission payment, and after a day's rest, Team 7 had seen Juntaro and Midori off on their honeymoon before beginning their journey.

Looking on his genin, Kakashi could see the differences their month-and-a-half-long sojourn from Konoha had made. Sakura moved with grace and confidence, her eyes filled with the knowledge of a woman rather than the ignorance of a girl. Sasuke had a certain calm about him he'd never had before, and his hand rested on the hilt of a long sword his sword instructor had sent him off with.

Naruto, though, seemed the most different. There was serenity in Naruto's eyes that bore wisdom and cunning from his weeks of following the chancellor, and he even ran with a newfound dignity that belied his usual boyish enthusiasm. Kakashi knew that it was sometimes said that to have loved and lost once was not only better than not loving, but in fact better than succeeding in love at the first instance.

This, Kakashi believed, was a load of nonsense – but between his experiences with seals, Lord Mikaze, and Midori, it was undeniable that Naruto had grown up immensely. Kakashi made a single hand sign, and his team stopped, patiently awaiting his orders. Kakashi smiled slightly.

"Let's stop for the evening – but before you go off to set up camp, I have a few words for you." The genin nodded. "First, you've all made me inordinately proud on this mission." Naruto's chest swelled and a glint of satisfaction lit Sasuke's eyes. Sakura tilted her head.

"How so, Sensei? I mean, I guess we succeeded and all…" Kakashi shook his head.

"Yes, all of that – but more. You all adapted flawlessly to changing circumstances and mission parameters, while learning everything that I had to teach you as well as what your other teachers could offer. You proved yourselves true ninjas of Konoha and defeated superior opponents by working together. And finally, you demonstrated courage and strength of character by helping Midori-hime and Juntaro-san." As he'd predicted, all three genin started at that.

"Wait, but Sensei, you said -" It was Sasuke who spoke up, brow furrowed. Kakashi nodded.

"I know what I said, and it bears true – as ninja, we don't always have to solve peoples' problems for them. However, when we can, it's a damn satisfying thing. Being ninja means we have the power to help people and to make the world a better place – and in the end, it's up to us whether we do so or not. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded first, while his teammates were still thinking. "I think so. Sure, the mission might say that we don't have to do something, even if it's the right thing to do – but if we don't do it, it's not because of the mission, it's because we chose not to do it. It's a lot like with teammates, right?" Sakura's eyes brightened at this.

"Right! Just like you're worse than trash if you don't help your teammates, if you forego the chance to do the right thing when your mission doesn't stop you, it says a lot about who you are!" Sasuke nodded slowly.

"So then why tell us we shouldn't worry about helping them, then?" His eyes pierced Kakashi's own. It was Naruto who answered.

"Because he didn't want to order us to help – Sensei wanted us to decide whether we'd do it on our own. That's why he's happy – because we CHOSE to help, even though he said we didn't have to."

Satisfied, the three genin headed out to collect the supplies and food they'd need for the night. Waiting until they were out of earshot and turned.

"I was wondering when you'd drop by, Jiraiya-sama." Jiraiya stepped away from the tree he'd been melded against, practically invisible. He brushed a leaf from his shoulder.

"I've been around. Just keeping an eye on my god-son – and on my student's student. How are you doing, Kakashi-kun?" Kakashi shrugged.

"As well as ever, I suppose." But his eye lingered on the path where his students had made their way off – he saw Jiraiya's implication, and it wasn't wrong. Just as he'd taught the genin and formed them into new people, they were changing him. He was late less often and by less than ever before, spent his time thinking of new ways to teach them rather than staring at names on the memorial stone (albeit that he typically thought of training methods while at the memorial), and felt a genuine pride in the growth he'd seen amongst his students.

Rather than any of that, though, it was the fact that he didn't mind that scared him slightly. He saw the understanding in Jiraiya's eyes.

"It's strange, isn't it? Learning how much you care about them?" Kakashi saw the genuine remorse and sadness in Jiraiya's eyes, and wondered how much pain he must have felt when Minato had died – and how badly Minato's own heart had fragmented when Obito and Rin had died, so soon after one another.

He refused to think of what might happen if one of his own students was to die.

Jiraiya paced forward slightly, grinning. "You've done a spectacular job with all of them, I'll admit. Especially Naruto – from what he was like when he was young, I thought he'd be an absolute hellion by now." Kakashi shook his head with amusement.

"He was, at least until I got to him. He's quietened a lot – this mission took a lot out of him. Added something back in, too." Jiraiya nodded, and Kakashi felt the same surge of jealousy he'd had before, when he'd feared that Jiraiya planned to take his student away. Kakashi beat the emotion down – Jiraiya was just helping Naruto, as he was, and it was hardly his place to feel so possessive over the boy – Naruto was his own person, and anything that could make him stronger, better, was a good thing.

Jiraiya patted Kakashi on the back. "I'm glad. I'll be watching – not from nearby, unfortunately. Rumors to investigate, you know." Kakashi quirked an eyebrow and Jiraiya placed a thick scroll in his hand.

"Information for Sensei – the world isn't at rest. There're rumors – Water's civil war is heating up again. The Wind Lord using Konoha rather than Suna for his missions is causing a lot of ill will over in the desert. That blockade in Wave Country isn't just some simple piracy issue. And there's a new hidden village on the scene."

Kakashi's eyebrows rose, but Jiraiya shook his head.

"It's all in the scroll, and I'm sure Sensei will tell you what you need to know. I have some things to work out so that we can at least keep the peace lasting until the Chuunin Exams. Are you going to enter the brats?" Kakashi shrugged.

"Probably. I think they've got the skills already, and there're still four months left. Just need to burnish that mission list so that Hokage-sama will accept their entry." Jiraiya nodded.

"Well, I'm sure the two B-ranked missions will help there. In any case, I trust your judgment. Take care, Kakashi-kun. Minato would be proud of you." With that, the older ninja was gone.

Kakashi stared after him for a moment before pocketing the scroll he'd been handed.

Whispers or not, Kakashi would protect his students. He would teach them, and when the trouble came, they would be ready to face it.

* * *

**Technique Library**: Doton: Dochuu Eigyo no Jutsu (Underground Projection Fish Technique): A D-ranked Earth ninjutsu that allows the user to travel through the earth like a fish swims, moving underneath their foes. The user can then surface all at once, or use "Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu" to strike from underground.

Doton: Kanbotsu Ana no Jutsu (Sinkhole Technique): A B-ranked Earth ninjutsu that sends tremors through the earth which erupt into deep sinkholes beneath the feet of anyone the user targets. The sinkholes are fairly limited in diameter, but appear quickly, and so are best used on unwary or tired targets.

Doton: Houkai no Jutsu (Collapse Technique): A C-ranked Earth ninjutsu that pulls the edges of a chasm or pit together to fill it – the amount of chakra needed depends on the size of the gap, so closing large natural ravines is highly dissuaded. While this technique is typically used for utility purposes to cross gaps or get out of swampy terrain, it can also be used to trap or crush those already within a pit, such as that created by "Doton: Kanbotsu Ana."

Raiton: Seidenki no Jutsu (Static Shock Technique): A C-ranked Lightning ninjutsu that focuses a powerful aura of static electricity around the user, creating a field that lashes out to strike enemies who come too close. The static also has the effect of shattering Earth-type techniques which pass into its range, protecting its user further.

Doton: Iwa no Yari no Jutsu (Spear of Rock Technique): A C-ranked Earth ninjutsu that creates a spear of stone from tiny pebbles and dust, which can then be either wielded or fired by the user. If fired, it flies like an arrow towards its target, with a powerful impaling ability.

Chinsei Joutai no Jutsu (Sedation Technique): A B-ranked medical ninjutsu that is typically used by medic-nins to knock out willing targets or those who are already tired or injured. If the target's chakra reserves are already low, or the target is already exhausted from effort or injury, the user's medical chakra can be used to simply trigger powerful hormonal sleep impulses within the target. This typically causes unconsciousness instantly or within a minute.

Meisaigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique): A non-elemental A-ranked ninjutsu-genjutsu hybrid which causes the user to become functionally invisible by bending light rays around them. Chakra is also used to suppress the user's smell and sounds that they make, making the user more difficult to detect by any conventional means. Though chakra-based techniques can entirely negate this technique's use, an S-ranked version exists which also suppresses the user's chakra signature, rendering them a functional non-person.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

This was a fairly Naruto-heavy chapter because the arc itself was pretty deeply invested in his growth – there will be future arc that focus on Sasuke and Sakura as well. Still, Naruto will always play a prominent role since, well, he's sort of the title character…

Next chapter, the team gets back to Konoha at last after completing three missions in a row, and starts interacting with their peers again!

A couple of replies to selected reviews (thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed):

"_Everyone Commenting on Update Schedule_": Yes, I'll admit it – I had the first four chapters pre-written and the next four were at least drafted before I posted the story. I wanted to get enough material out early that people had something to dig into, rather than having to constantly wait for anything to happen. With this chapter, we reach the first chapter past that, so unfortunately updating will slow down – though hopefully not by too much.

_Romulus123_: I actually have read Eilyfe's story too, and I loved it – anyone who wants to read a darker story a fair bit like this one, please take a look (Team 7's Ascension is the title)! I will probably tweak the Chuunin Exams at least a little bit – particularly because there are aspects of the exam in the original which I think could have been modified to make it, well, a better EXAM. I shan't ruin it by speaking further, though!

_theIrishWriter_: Well, you've got some answers on what was going on in this chapter. Midori and Juntaro will certainly appear again, so don't worry – emotional investment in their characters will not be lost forever! Midori is about 16, in my notes, which in the societal framework I'm working from is a pretty reasonable age for marriage amongst the nobility. The dark ninja is a tool, but he actually acts like that in-canon, so…

While fanon seems to have it that all Iwa ninjas freak out and pee themselves when they see Naruto, that doesn't seem to have been the case with Iwa or Iwa-derivative ninjas in canon – my assumption is that more ninjas than Naruto have blonde hair, so people tend not to assume that a blonde genin is related to the Yondaime unless given specific evidence for that assumption.

_Shawn2012,_ _GRIMM5578, _& _Fbobstuff_: I'll admit that I hadn't thought of Asuma's trench knives. Those actually would work incredibly well, since they would provide Naruto a weapon that really would still fit into a more "beat-down" style. I'll have to think about it, and see how to incorporate them into my plans!

_Technogeek29_: That was actually one of my biggest gripes that led to this story's creation – the fact that so many stories just whiz through the genin days with little or no detail, and use either the same story or a totally unrecognizable one. I got tired of criticizing stories and figured that if I thought I could do better, I should at least try – and… well… here we are!

_Jiraiya's Disciple_: Thanks for the comments, and that was essentially my goal – start with a well-known premise – "kill dem bandits, talk about killing peoples" – and branch from there into a much more ornate story.

_Cloverwolf_: Unfortunately, as I've said above, I will be slowing down to an update or two per week, rather than every day. However, that should still give you lot plenty to read!

_DecrepitSoul_: Thank you very much for the praise – I'm glad you like the tone, and it's something I plan to keep up – a healthy mixture of drama and action with comedy thrown in. It's a failing of a lot of darker fiction I've read that there's little or no comedy – but the drama, in my opinion, doesn't have any meaning if it doesn't have something to contrast with. How much my method succeeds, I suppose, is up to you guys' call.

Please comment/review if you have suggestions, feedback, comments, or criticism. Thank you for reading!

- The Captain


	10. Chapter 10: A Friend in Need

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 26, 2014 (Updated September 2)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 10: A Friend in Need**

_Wherein the team makes new friends and gain insight into one another._

* * *

Team 7's first sight of Konoha in two months was a joyous occasion – Naruto leapt into the air, hurling his empty canteen with a shout. Sakura let out a sigh, allowing her wobbling legs to finally collapse under her. Sasuke allowed himself a brief smile, peering at the polished wood of the gate that marked his return home – and Kakashi simply continued reading.

Their journey had been long, weary, and at times harrowing, but now they were home again – and home meant many things. Family (at least for Sakura), friends, rest, and most of all, safety.

Naruto led the team to the gate, where a pair of familiar faces greeted him.

"You two!" Naruto called out with a grin. Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu had been the gate guards who'd stamped Team 7's papers when they'd left the village – it was quite a coincidence that they were also the ones to welcome the Team back.

"Us two." Kotetsu smirked under the bandage that bisected his face. "You lot have been gone an awful lot longer than a week, Kakashi-san." Kakashi inclined his head slightly.

"True. Lucky I sent word back, huh?" Unstated was the warning that Kakashi should avoid making his taking of missions on the fly a habit. It wouldn't do to harass the jounin for decisions his genin had supposedly made.

Izumo nodded. "You'll want to report back to Hokage-sama. I hear congratulations are in order – a triple mission?" Kakashi smirked.

"What can I say? I've got an awesome team." The genin swelled with the praise, and practically skipping, Naruto led them to the Hokage's administrative offices. Up the stairs and through the secretary's office they went. Sitting at a small desk in the secretary's office was a young boy with brown hair sticking from a gap in his grey helmet. His round face and wide eyes spoke to his youth, and around his neck was a blue scarf that was longer than he was tall. He perked up as he saw the genin enter.

"Boss! You're back! Gramps said you were busy on a mission, and he didn't know when you'd be back, and I was bored, and -" Naruto waved a hand at him to cut him off.

"Calm down! Guys, this is Konohamaru, the Hokage's grandson. Konohamaru, these are my teammates! This is Sakura-chan – she knows how to heal people; this is Sasuke, he can shoot fire and lightning and stuff; and this is Kakashi-sensei – he's a perv." All but Kakashi smiled and quietly greeted the excited boy. Kakashi just rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's awesome to meet you guys! Wow, boss, you're a real genin and went on missions and everything! Did you save any princesses, huh? Battle missing-nins and all that?" Kakashi face-palmed as Naruto happily confirmed all of Konohamaru's misconceptions of what genin life was like. Just because Team 7 happened to have the strangest luck didn't mean that was what it was supposed to be like.

Naruto finished a highly abbreviated (and abridged) version of their long journey, noticing that his teammates were waiting patiently with their weariness in their eyes. He smiled at Konohamaru.

"Hey, I've gotta meet with your gramps now – maybe you wanna play ninja or something later?" Konohamaru nodded happily.

"Sure, boss! I'll bring a couple of my friends!"

As Team 7 turned away, Sasuke quietly asked, "Play ninja? Aren't you an actual ninja now?"

Naruto had the good grace to blush. "I mean… I didn't get to play ninja much when I was a kid… and besides! It'll be good training for the academy and all – he just started this year!" Sakura nodded sympathetically.

"It certainly couldn't hurt. Hush now – Hokage-sama's waiting!"

The Hokage's office was just as Kakashi remembered it – and much as Naruto remembered it as well, having come here often. For Sakura and Sasuke, however, it was a totally new experienced, and they were on tenterhooks entering the private dominion of their commander-in-chief. The Hokage smiled as they entered.

"The notorious – and elusive – Team 7. You have no idea how many queries I have fielded regarding your whereabouts." Kakashi assumed a more formal bearing as he stepped forward.

"Team 7 reporting, Hokage-sama – mission C-34957 was a success – bandit camp destroyed. Elimination of the targets led to the rescue of a high-value hostage, resulting in mission B-32644. Mission B-32644 was also a success, with Asahina Midori returned safely to the custody of her father, Fire Country chancellor Asahina Mikaze. Return of the principal resulted in mission B-32645. Mission B-32645 was deemed a success due to the successful protection of the principals until the date of their wedding – along with the elimination of a pair of missing-nins, ranked C and B. The evidence, as well as the details, is in this scroll."

Kakashi handed the scroll in which he'd written the mission report. The Hokage accepted it with a grave nod, and the genin almost simultaneously took a deep breath. The scroll not only contained the missions' documentation, but the heads of the two missing-nin Team 7 had defeated. Kakashi had privately decapitated the bodies after their execution, but had made sure his students understood what he was carrying.

The Hokage set the scroll to the side of his desk and steepled his fingers. "What am I going to do with you, Kakashi-kun? And you, Naruto-kun – don't think Kakashi-kun left your antics out of his report." Naruto frowned.

"Hokage-oji-sama, I… I've learned my lesson about jumping into things like this, but I believed then and now that we made the right decision. I mean, I think we'd have done the same thing again – only maybe asked Midori-hime about what was really going on first this time." Naruto was nervous – having to defend his actions before the Hokage was tough. To his surprise, Sasuke stepped forward.

"Hokage-sama – though Naruto's actions were rash, they were borne of good intention, and ultimately served Konoha well." Sakura nodded.

"Kakashi-sensei said we were given those extra three months to train because you wanted us to be the best – now we have a pair of B-ranked missions on our record, and contacts in the capital. If anything, Naruto's actions paid dividends, Hokage-sama! You can't punish him for that!"

With a sigh, the Hokage leaned back and smiled. "Well, with such an onslaught of explanations as that, I suppose there's little I can do – very well, Naruto-kun, you're off the hook. Take your teammates and head out."

Naruto, though, remained still. Sasuke and Sakura, about to leave, looked back at him – then at Kakashi, who'd stood silently all the while. Naruto shook his head.

"Hokage-oji-sama, I can't. Not until Kakashi-sensei is cleared too!" Kakashi looked down at him.

"Naruto, understand – I was well within my rights as a jounin, but certainly made a rash decision with regards to your lives. Hokage-sama's punishment probably won't be anything serious." Naruto still stood, and his teammates didn't move either. After a long pause, the Hokage smiled.

"Very well, Kakashi, take your students and leave – but I don't want you coming in here for a C-ranked mission for another few weeks at least – and not until you've dealt with the paperwork for all this shenaniganry!"

Kakashi groaned theatrically, but turned to leave, his genin following him. Naruto waved goodbye to the Hokage, and they made their way outside. Once they stood in the streets again, Kakashi turned to his students.

"That was a close shave – don't go pulling that on a regular basis. The Hokage was feeling lenient, especially because my screw-up – and Naruto's – got us huge favor in the capital and an extra pair of B-ranked missions. Naruto, you spent your time with Mikaze-sama – why don't you tell us why we should avoid doing it again?" Naruto nodded. This was an easy one.

"Because this time, he can afford to be lenient – even if we broke the rules, we had a good reason, and the rules weren't exactly hard-and-fast to begin with. If we do it again, it establishes a pattern of bad behavior – and Oji-sama can't allow that." Kakashi nodded.

"Good. Now, I'd say we lay low for the next couple weeks and take some more D-ranked missions, "Kakashi paused at his team's groans, "yes, I know how much you hate those – but remember. We need seven more completed before the Chuunin Exams – it looks like the Hokage isn't planning to reward us for our bad behavior by wiping those off the requirements for us." Naruto nodded grimly, remembering the waste of time the team's previous D-ranked missions had proven. Sakura, settling a hand on his shoulder, spoke up.

"Is there any way we could find shorter missions and all? I mean, we're back in Konoha, so we should really be using the time to train, right?" Kakashi grinned.

"Sounds like a plan – I'll work out a schedule tonight for some more techniques and sparring practice for you all. In the meanwhile, figure out some ways to train in the stuff I can't help with. Tomorrow morning, usual place." Kakashi vanished in his trademark blur, but the dry leaves that floated into the air marked the team's return to Konoha as much as anything else they'd seen.

Naruto turned to his teammates. "Man, I wish I knew how to do that… but he's right – we should figure out our other stuff… I need to get back in touch with Gai-sensei and start up my morning practices again. What about you guys?"

Sakura shrugged. "I'm going to head back to the hospital and get back to my lessons with Hinata-san and Kabuto-sensei. Hopefully they haven't gotten too far ahead while I was away – I was a little ahead when I left, so I should be able to catch up." Sasuke nodded.

"I need to figure out someone – or somewhere – I can practice with this." Sasuke indicated the beautiful katana at his side. Naruto contemplated it – it wasn't a particularly ornamented piece – its only decoration was the gold pommel cap. Nonetheless, the blade was beautiful in its simplicity as a killing instrument – Gendou had informed Sasuke that the weapon was forged from the sword he'd used during his first term of service in the Fire Lord's Army, fighting rebels in the west.

"I… might have someone who could help with that." Sasuke wheeled towards his blonde teammate with a raised eyebrow. "Do you remember Gai-sensei? We met them that night at the bar…

Sasuke snorted, ignoring Sakura's giggle. "How could I forget any of that? That green menace and the teacher he was cloned from…" Naruto chuckled but shook his head.

"Right, but neither of those – Do you remember Tenten?" Sasuke thought for a moment.

"Ah, the girl… no, I don't remember anything about her besides that she was there. Would she be of help, then?" Naruto nodded.

"Yeah – I remember hearing that she was supposed to be an excellent weapon mistress – any weapon, really. I'm sure she'd know something about swordsmanship – and even if she didn't, she'd have the weapons knowledge to spar against your sword. Come with me tomorrow morning, and I'll introduce you." Naruto turned to Sakura now.

"You should come tomorrow too – I know you're not really much for that kind of crazy taijutsu or whatever, but Lee beats himself up pretty hard during training – I figure if he had someone at the hospital he could go to after doing his really stupid stuff, it'd be a little safer." Sakura moaned.

"From everything you've said about these freaks, I'm not sure I want to – but hey, if it means some more practical experience for me and one less Konoha ninja beating themselves to death in training… well…" Naruto grinned.

"It won't be so bad. Tomorrow, then!"

* * *

Early the next morning, Naruto led his teammates out to Training Ground 27. Sakura was yawning, while Sasuke's eyes were still red and slightly hollowed. From a distance, they could already hear the thud of flesh and bone meeting wood – and as they approached, they saw the figures waiting on the field to greet them. Gai was the first to turn towards the newcomers.

"Ah! Naruto-kun! It is spectacular to have you back in Konoha after your most excellent missions!" Naruto nodded weakly in return as Lee bounded up.

"Naruto-san! It will be most exciting to have my training partner back in Konoha – but do tell me, who is this delightful flower next to you?!" Naruto froze, looking next to himself at Sasuke, whose eyes had also grown very round. Both immediately relaxed when they noticed Lee staring at Sakura – who had most certainly NOT relaxed. In a blur of green, Lee was past the two boys, holding Sakura's hands in his own.

"You, most delightful rose of Konoha! Be mine and go out on a date with me – and I will endeavor forever to protect you!" Tenten and Neji, having only been out on the training field for a few minutes before Team 7's arrival, now approached.

Tenten groaned loudly. "Lee, please – give the girl a little space!" Sakura dragged her hands out of Lee's and looked to Sasuke for a little help. Lee promptly misinterpreted this.

"Ah, so you are besotted with the young Uchiha? Then I must battle him for your affections!" Lee turned to Sasuke, who hadn't moved – now bearing a sort of deer-in-the-headlights look. Naruto leapt to his rescue, seeing that Gai, chuckling loudly, wasn't about to say anything.

"Nobody's about to battle anyone for anyone's affections. Lee, Sakura can, uh, be besotted with anyone she likes (Naruto ignored his female teammate's angry look). Battling Sasuke isn't going to make her any happier. And none of that has to do with why I brought them here!"

Gai spoke up then, "Most wise of you, Naruto-kun – so do tell us! Why have you brought your excellent comrades to this training ground, then?"

"Well, for one thing, I wanted to let you guys know I was back in town – I'll be coming to morning practices again, if that's all right with you, Gai-sensei." Gai nodded. "Right. In that case, I brought my teammates to introduce them to you guys – and since I figured we could help each other. Tenten, you use weapons, right?"

Neji made his first contribution to the conversation – in the form of a snort. Tenten shot him an irritated look before turning to Naruto. "Yes, Naruto-san, I do use weapons, mainly shuriken and kunai, but of any sort, really." Naruto nodded.

"Right. Sasuke here learned to use a sword pretty well while we were out on our mission, and he wanted someone he could train with. Do you think he could train with you?" Tenten looked at Sasuke appraisingly.

"Hmm… I suppose I could use some work with my melee weapon skills – sure, I'll train with him. On one condition." Tenten was grinning now, and Sasuke thinned his lips.

"What's that?"

Tenten smirked. "He asks me himself." Sasuke blanched slightly before recovering.

"Very well. Tenten-san – would you do me the honor of practicing swordplay with me?" Tenten choked very slightly, as did Naruto. Sakura caught the (probably unintentional) innuendo a moment late and smacked Naruto over the back of his head.

"ANYWAYS," Sakura loudly continued, "I came because Naruto wanted to introduce me to Lee…" Lee gave her an enormous grin, and Sakura shivered, "… for some reason…"

Naruto smoothly picked up the thread of conversation. "Because I thought that since Lee was just about to learn Gai-sensei's super-special-awesome technique when I left, he could use having a medic-nin at the hospital that he knew he could go to." Gai nodded at this decisively.

"Well done indeed, Naruto – a medic-nin known to us would indeed be an excellent help – and I'm certain that healing Lee's injuries would be of great assistance to Sakura-san's training as well, yes?" Sakura nodded, muting her shock. Clearly Gai was no idiot, despite his strange habits.

But, Sakura considered, what was strange for a ninja, really, if Jiraiya-sama himself wrote erotic novels, Kakashi-sensei read them, and so on.

She really hoped that whatever bad habits she picked up were comparatively mild…

* * *

The next week passed very quickly for the genin of Team 7. Along with their interaction with Gai's squad, they undertook two D-ranked missions (neither of which, luckily, were as eventful as their chase after Tora the cat). Kakashi focused on training his students' existing abilities, particularly their utilization of techniques during combat and their ability to fight against superior opponents as a team – none of the genin wanted to be put in the same position they'd found themselves in against the so-called "Legendary Dark Ninja."

Though Naruto renewed his shadow clone training, adding an extra pair of clones to decipher and practice the information on Jiraiya's scroll, he quickly found himself lacking a good way to actually practice the seals he theorized.

"… and really, I can't just stick them on anything – if I don't try the durability seal on a surface like a wall or something, I can't see if it works. But if I put it on my wall and it explodes or something, my landlord'll throw a fit!" Naruto complained to Sasuke after training one day. Sasuke shrugged.

"Isn't there a way you can use seals that someone else came up with?" Naruto shook his head, discouraged.

"Nah. According to Jiraiya's scroll, some seals can just be copied over – usually simple ones, or those with an external power source, like some sort of spirit or whatever. But the ones that are self-enclosed the user has to come up with himself! Or herself, I guess, but I'm a guy, so…" Sasuke snorted.

"So you need somewhere to test your insane creations." The two lapsed into silence at Naruto's nod, and continued walking quietly. As they reached the outskirts of the old Uchiha district, Sasuke perked up.

"I have an idea." Naruto raised a brow.

"Yeah?"

"You could use some of the old buildings in there – in the Uchiha district." Naruto grinned widely, and then paused at the strange, dark look in Sasuke's eyes.

"Are you sure, man?" Sasuke shrugged, but Naruto still saw the glint in his teammate's eyes.

"I'm not gonna just… y'know… blow up your family's old stuff… If it's still important to you -"

"No. Do it. Better that it's good for something than just… sitting there…" Sasuke said, and Naruto heard the harsh tone behind his voice. He chose not to argue – Sasuke clearly felt strongly, and he could sense that any further argument would be counterproductive, if anything.

"If you're sure…"

As it happened, Naruto didn't have to blow many of the old Uchiha residences up anyways – he was not only a remarkably inventive seal-creator, but a remarkably consistent one as well – by theorizing the combinations of components he planned to use first, Naruto managed to avoid any serious harm to the abandoned buildings and objects left around the ghost town that Sasuke made his home in.

Sometimes, Naruto felt as though Sasuke would rather that the whole thing end up a charnel.

* * *

Sasuke's own training was advancing quickly as well. Kakashi had decided that with the second tomoe of Sasuke's Sharingan now active, it was time for him to understand the intricacies of how his eyes worked. Since Kakashi hadn't actually told his students that he possessed the Sharingan to begin with, this was a much more difficult discussion than it otherwise might have been.

"All right, Sasuke, now that you have the Sharingan's copying power active, it's important that you take some very important things into account." Kakashi had drawn his quietest student aside while Naruto and Sakura sparred. The roaring of Naruto's wind techniques and grinding of Sakura's earth could be heard nearby. Sasuke stared back with a carefully blank look on his face. Kakashi sighed.

"Sasuke, you are one of the only two Sharingan users in the village. That means -"

"Two?! Who's the other one?" Sasuke burst out, as Kakashi knew he would. Kakashi slowly reached for his slanted headband and lifted it, revealing the horrible scar that bisected his eye socket. His eyelid flickered open – revealing the scarlet depths of the eye Obito had left him.

Sasuke recoiled in shock. "You?! How?!" Kakashi sighed.

"You must understand, Sasuke, the story of how I received this eye is not… it's not a happy tale. And it's a long story I'll tell you and the others some other day. Suffice to say, a close friend died – and I lived." Sasuke stared back at him with wide eyes, and Kakashi shook his head.

"I understand that it's difficult for you to accept such a vague answer…" Sasuke frowned. "… But I'm not willing to speak further about it for now. You'll have to accept that – and in any case, it's not what I meant to speak to you about." Sasuke cocked an eyebrow incredulously.

"Then what?"

Kakashi's mouth set in a grim line under his mask. "Those with the Sharingan… have not always had the best reputation about the village. Sometimes we are known as technique thieves – stealing away techniques our comrades and others have trained for weeks or months to master." Sasuke seemed about to protest and Kakashi shook his head.

"Yes, I know – every advantage is an advantage that should be used – and only a fool does not take advantage when it is offered. Nonetheless, you must be aware that to be seen with one's Sharingan open in Konoha is to be assumed to be recording what one sees." Sasuke snorted, and Kakashi shrugged.

"I'm not here to argue with you about the ethics of copying techniques, Sasuke – that's something you'll need to think about yourself – but think on this. Imagine if you were to copy Naruto's shadow clone technique, or his 'great breakthrough' technique? How would he feel?" Sasuke paused at this and bit his lip.

Kakashi, though, continued to the main reason he'd called Sasuke aside. "None of that is really important, though – the real reason you should be careful of the Sharingan's gifts is because of their risk to YOU." Sasuke shook his head.

"I haven't heard of -"

"Of course you haven't heard of any such threat, Sasuke." Kakashi interrupted, slightly annoyed. You've had your eyes active for only a few months, and this is the first real training you're getting with them. What you don't understand is that though the Sharingan copies the hand seals and the way chakra moves to make a technique work, it can't replicate the effects of training – using a technique you've copied and haven't practiced is phenomenally dangerous because it will drain your chakra at an accelerated rate. I wouldn't suggest it even for myself, let alone for you." Sasuke's eyes were wide now, and Kakashi sighed inwardly – he was glad to have gotten through to the boy. To Sasuke's credit, he was far more willing to listen regarding the flaws inherent in his bloodline than most Uchiha ever had been.

Probably, Kakashi's mind reminded him, because there were no other Uchihas left. None but Sasuke.

Sasuke and Itachi.

* * *

While Naruto commenced his daily inadvertent attempts to nearly (but not quite) blow up the Uchiha district and Sasuke began to learn techniques from Kakashi (for, despite Kakashi's warnings, the Sharingan was an excellent means of learning techniques quickly, so long as one practiced them carefully and extensively afterwards), Sakura redoubled her efforts at the hospital.

Not only did the pink-haired genin take on extra time and responsibilities, staying late into the night and doing an extra shift in the mornings before her daily training (or mission) with Kakashi, but she read rabidly ahead in the textbook to stay on track with what Kabuto had noted that his students should learn.

One afternoon, while Hinata was gone on a mission, Kabuto and Sakura worked in silence preparing special bandages for medic-nin field kits. The bandages were steeped in a special chakra-imbued solution that would accelerate healing and prevent infection, though they took time to create and were meant to only be used on the direst of injuries. As she worked, Sakura turned to her instructor with questioning eyes.

"Kabuto-sensei? May I ask you a question?" Kabuto looked over at her with a smile.

"We're not in lessons; you know – go ahead and call me "Kabuto-senpai." Sakura blushed very slightly and nodded.

"All right, Senpai. May I?" Kabuto nodded, still smiling. Sakura sobered slightly.

"Have you ever killed anyone while on a mission?" Kabuto's smile remained, and he seemed to think for a moment.

"Well, yes. I presume you had to kill on that mission you went out on?" Sakura nodded, a shadow passing over her eyes. Kabuto settled a hand on her shoulder.

"Killing, especially for medic-nin like us… it's not a fun thing. To us, so used to training to keep a soul in its body, removing the soul feels almost anathema. Yet at the same time that we're medics, we're also ninja – our duties to our comrades come as much through combat as through healing. At least, that's how I like to think of it." Sakura nodded slowly. Kabuto had spoken as though reciting something – perhaps something someone had once said to him? Or perhaps something he'd read somewhere.

Sakura shrugged slightly, and a flash of light broke into a prismatic spray through Kabuto's glasses as he grinned. Sakura blushed deeper.

"Don't worry too much about it – as ninja, we're meant to kill – our enemies. And as medics, we're meant to heal – our friends. There's no conflict there." At Sakura's doubtful glance, his smile took on a conspiratorial tilt.

"Say, I've heard there's a medic-nin fighting style kept in the hospital archive. Want to see if we can find it? We can surprise Hinata-san with it when she comes back…"

* * *

"And then Sakura-chan just did this crazy spinning move and almost took my ankle out! Well, actually, she DID take my ankle out – her scalpel was super-intense! I didn't even feel it until my leg gave out. Got lucky that I heal so fast…" Naruto scooped another clump of ramen noodles from his bowl and noisily slurped it down. A hot bowl at Ichiraku's stand always made him feel better after a long day of training – and now he had the money to afford as much as he wanted!

Ayame grinned, leaning on the counter next to him. Naruto was the only customer, since it was well-past normal dinner hours. "Sounds like your teammates are getting pretty handy, huh, Naruto-kun? I hope you're keeping up!"

Naruto chuckled. "Well, 'course I am! Can't be Hokage if I'm letting even my own teammates get past me! Nah, I'm doing plenty of work – both alone and with Kakashi-sensei. Sticking around Konoha gives us so much more time to train than when we're out on missions! Not to mention all the chances for seal work…" Teuchi's hand thumped down on the counter.

"Speaking of which, I was meaning to ask – hey, Naruto – how much for one of those protective seal-sets you've been bandying about town?"

After liberal testing in the Uchiha district, Naruto had developed several interesting sets of seals both for his own use and as tests for future ideas. Upon mentioning his practice to Shikamaru during their weekly game, the lazy genius had proven his intellect once more. A refined version of Naruto's special alarm seal, combined with a proximity line and activated trigger had proven to be an effective burglar alarm system equal or superior to any seal-based system in Konoha.

Shikamaru had suggested that Naruto sell the seal set-up to any businesses or residences that wanted the added protection – and Naruto had readily agreed. Naruto still remembered the first business Shikamaru had directed him to.

* * *

"_Welcome to Yamanaka Flower Empori – ah, shit it's you." Ino slumped on the counter with a grouchy look on her face. Her long, platinum blonde hair bound in a ponytail and her crystal-blue eyes shining in the afternoon light in a refined, pale face, Naruto had to admit that the girl was one of the prettiest he knew. If only the face was attached to a personality that was less bossy and strident._

"_Yeah, it's me, Ino. I'm here about that seal set-up Shikamaru probably told you about?" Naruto nervously scratched his head. Ino looked decidedly unimpressed._

"_You're the supposed seal-master? Yeah, right – pull the other one, I tied a kunai trap to it." Naruto frowned._

"_It's not a joke – my seals work perfectly, and Shikamaru said I should come here to see about setting them up – if you don't want them -" Naruto was interrupted as the bell attached to the door jangled behind him. He spun, finding himself face-to-face with a tall man with ash-blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and a standard jounin uniform._

"_Hmm… who's this, Ino, one of your friends?" Ino snorted._

"_Hardly, dad. This is Naruto – he was in my class at the Academy, remember?" Yamanaka Inoichi, Ino's father, nodded. Naruto remembered Shikamaru's advice and bowed._

"_Hello, Inoichi-san. I'm here about placing those anti-burglar seals Shikamaru probably told you about?" Inoichi fingered the stubble at his chin as he nodded slowly._

"_Yes, Shikamaru-kun did tell me all about a new anti-burglar ward you'd come up with, and our business has been getting a surge in customers lately. I don't see the harm in getting some additional protection." Both shinobi ignored Ino's outraged sputtering as they haggled over a price – Naruto had no idea what his work was worth, but managed to obtain a sum he found more than reasonable, and set to work._

* * *

Naruto's work on the Yamanaka shop had been noticed, and soon he had a small clientele setting up appointments for his work – though most of the civilians continued to give him the cold shoulder, Naruto found Konoha's many shops owned by retired shinobi or by members of one of the shinobi clans to be more than willing to pay for some additional protection – particularly from a source Yamanaka Inoichi and Nara Shikaku were willing to vouch for as trustworthy.

Between training with Kakashi and Gai, studying seals on his own in the Uchiha district, and absorbing what his clones could learn, Naruto's time was already fairly full, but he managed to take one or two appointments per day – easily enough to make rent and food payments – with enough left over to begin building some savings for a rainy day.

Broken from his musing by Ayame's inquisitive smile, Naruto nodded. "For you guys, nothing! I'll do it for free – hell, I'll do it today, after I finish eating!" Ayame clapped her hands with a happy cry, while Teuchi loudly proclaimed a free bowl for Naruto, and Naruto dug in with a smile.

It was good to have friends.

* * *

A bead of sweat slipped from Sasuke's forehead as he slid to his right, dodging the glimmering blade that descended towards his shoulder. The droplet splintered into countless particles of mist as Tenten's attack struck through it, and Sasuke grit his teeth.

He was most certainly more skilled with the sword than his opponent – and stronger as well. His reach was longer, and he was at least as fast. But Tenten had two traits that more than evened the odds, and explained why all eight duels between the two had ended in draws due to exhaustion.

The first was the weapon mistress's precision. Every attack landed exactly where it was meant to – her slices frequently tore his uniform open or left nicks across his frame – nicks Sasuke was relatively certain would be lethal blows had he been fighting the girl for real. The best dodge could only do so much in the face of such careful accuracy – and Sasuke found himself blocking and parrying far more than he was used to against Tenten's relentless onslaught.

The second was the sheer chemistry between Tenten and her weapon. Watching his foe strike, dodge, and parry was like watching a snake move, Sasuke thought – sinuous, fluid, and incredibly deadly – but strangely entrancing. Sasuke could never remember being matched so closely in anything before, and that Tenten could do it now felt simultaneously frustrating and exhilarating.

Sasuke sliced towards Tenten's midriff with an elegant blow that moved nearly too fast for the other genin to avoid – but he was fully certain that she would. Tenten buckled away at the last second, her shirt slicing under the assault of Sasuke's steel. Tenten, though, was already on the attack again, using a pivot to cut low, nearly hamstringing the Uchiha – but Sasuke was in the air, having hopped over Tenten's entire frame.

He immediately knew it was a mistake as Tenten's teeth flashed. She struck upwards and across, and only an awkward twist saved Sasuke from losing his legs. He landed with an ungainly stumble and Tenten laughed gaily.

Sasuke grunted. "Something funny, Tenten-san?" The older genin's smile remained, brown eyes shining.

"Only that dodge. They teach you that in the capital?" Sasuke pressed his lips together as he redoubled his attacks – he moved into a kata he was highly familiar with – a low attack, then a high one, followed by a stab and another high attack. Tenten blocked the first two and dodged the third, but had to jerk away from the fourth, a strand of loose brown hair floating away where it had been sliced away. Sasuke allowed himself a smirk.

"They taught me THAT." Tenten's jaw set and she brought her sword down in a vicious blow that Sasuke blocked – he saw an opening and locked his own blade under his foe's and lifted. To his dismay, he'd forgotten Tenten's incredible flexibility as she allowed her shoulder to rotate almost entirely skyward, refusing to allow her sword to fall free – and Sasuke's own blade clattered from his grasp.

Sasuke stared for a moment, and then sighed. Tenten's sword hand had been lacerated, and though she held her sword with her undamaged index and small fingers, her thumb and middle two were badly cut. The girl held the weapon for just a moment before letting it fall with a groan of her own – it was clear that she was in no shape to continue wielding her weapon.

"And here I thought I actually HAD you this time!" Sasuke shook his head silently. The two collected their weapons with a companionable ease before slowly making their way off the field in the direction of the hospital where Sakura would inevitably give them both the tongue-lashing of a lifetime.

Or not – they both knew they'd be back the next morning.

* * *

As the sun set, Sakura cleansed her hands thoroughly with the antiseptic wash the medic-nins and lay doctors were instructed to use, allowing her weary shoulders to come to a rest. Hers had been a long afternoon and evening in the hospital, dealing with everything from minor scrapes and training wounds to broken bones, all under Kabuto's watchful supervision. She'd even had to deal with one petty thief who'd burst an eardrum due to the misfortune of standing immediately next to one of Naruto's anti-theft seals when it went off.

She really hadn't wanted to heal that one.

Hinata, standing next to her, shot her a weary smile. The other girl's confidence had improved slightly with her stay at the hospital, and Sakura could see why. While Sakura was rapidly learning to be an increasingly effective combat medic and trauma expert, Hinata's Byakugan allowed her to spot deep-tissue injuries, diseases, and poisons faster than practically any other medic-nin at the hospital.

"Was your ward round s-satisfactory, Sakura-san?" Sakura smiled back briefly.

"It was. That old perv in 3-B is still trying to get a load of my ass, but his leg's almost healed, so he should be out by tomorrow. You?" Hinata nodded cheerfully.

"I caught Moegi-chan's allergic reaction before it could become too severe! Kabuto-sensei was quite pleased." Sakura smiled – she knew how much Hinata liked being able to help the village's children. Kabuto often assigned her to the pediatric ward as a result. Once the two girls had bundled up their aprons and donned their usual street garb, they left the hospital. Sakura always loved her first breath of fresh fall air after spending half the day in the dry, astringent air of the wards.

"Ugh, another D-rank mission tomorrow. It's just not worth thinking about, is it Hinata-san? I can already hear Naruto's whining…" Sakura complained – a sidelong glance caught the flush in her companion's face at the thought of Sakura's teammate. Hinata was a good sort, Sakura thought; perhaps she should try and help her out sometime.

Sometime when she had time, at least. Hinata regained control of herself. "Th-they are rather frustrating. Kiba-kun always becomes very agitated when we r-receive them. My f-f-father said once that they were meant to teach humility…" Hinata's voice quietened at the end, though Sakura didn't know why.

"Oh? I can hardly imagine the great Hyuuga Hiashi picking up trash, can you?" Sakura chuckled, but Hinata didn't join her. The two continued walking quietly for a time. Sakura finally tried to pick up a new conversation.

"Say, the Nine-Tails festival is coming up next week, isn't it? My parents have been looking forward to it all year! They always like to shove me off into the fairgrounds and have some time to themselves… I usually just read near the performance stages, though. What'll you be doing?" Hinata smiled at this.

"The same as every y-year, I suppose. Most of the day, I'll be with my family, but in the evening I'll be dancing at the river stage." Sakura was surprised. She'd known Hinata had learned to dance when she was younger, but hadn't realized the blue-haired girl still did.

"I remember you telling us during that kunoichi lesson that you'd learned dancing – I didn't realize you did it, well, professionally, Hinata-san!" Hinata blushed deeply.

"Not professionally, S-Sakura-san. I'm not as good as all that. The dance at the r-river stage is an important spiritual function – to offer thanks to all those who gave their lives for the Leaf – particularly during the battle against the Kyuubi, but really all our veterans. That's why it takes place across from the memorial stone." Sakura nodded absently. She remembered the memorial stone from Kakashi's speech after the bell test.

It sometimes seemed like another life, or another world – before she'd been aware of all the dangers life as a shinobi held, or of the efforts she'd have to put into becoming a kunoichi she could be proud of.

Yet, Sakura reflected, it was all worth it.

* * *

Naruto stared with a deadpan face at the Inuzuka hounds whose care had been entrusted to Team 7. The canines looked back with equally dubious expressions.

"You're kidding, right?" Kakashi grinned.

"Nope! Our mission today is definitely walking the Inuzuka dogs around Konoha!" Inuzuka Hana, the pretty veterinary medic-nin who had assigned the mission, carefully distributed the dogs' leashes amongst the team, suppressing a smile. Naruto continued complaining.

"Oh, come on! I remember reading that the Inuzuka dogs are as smart as people – they're sentient and all, right?!"

Sasuke sniped, "Yeah, that makes them brighter than Naruto, at least…" Naruto elbowed him, and Sasuke shot him an irritated glance. Sakura broke them up – the prospect of yet another boring, absurd mission was clearly piquing her teammates.

"All right, boys, come on… This'll be seven – only three more of these, and we'll never need to look back, right? We can get through three more like this without killing each other. What are we, children, or ninja?" Naruto sighed and slumped, taking several of the leashes from Hana's hand.

"Make sure to -" Before Hana could finish her warning, the dogs attached to the leashes tore off, dragging a yelping Naruto behind them. Hana sighed.

"I swear, that boy is almost as loud as my brother…" With a sympathetic nod, Kakashi and the other two genin took up the remaining leashes and followed Naruto with a more sedate pace.

Naruto, practically running to halfway keep up with the dogs, tried to slow down by digging his heels into the ground. It did no good, and instead catapulted the blond genin with another yell flat onto his face. Matters only worsened as he slid along the ground, was pulled through a gutter, and barely clambered to his feet fast enough to avoid being pulled across the street.

It was only several minutes later that Naruto managed to wrap the leashes around a tree as the dogs yapped at a squirrel. He heard rough laughter.

"Hana stuck you guys with the dog-walking, huh?" Naruto turned to the familiar voice. Inuzuka Kiba leaned against a nearby fence with a feral grin. With feral black eyes, slit pupils, long, pointed canines, and red tattoos much like his sister's, Kiba matched the image of one of the Inuzuka beast ninja. He wore a grey parka trimmed in dark fur, with the hood drawn up to ward off the autumn wind (despite the lack of a chill). Most recognizable, though, was the small white puppy nestled in his arms.

"'Lo, Kiba. Akamaru." Naruto nodded to the pair, too sore to engage in the usual banter any conversation with Kiba practically required. Kiba smirked.

"The dogs got you all worn out, huh? Guess they're a bit much for ya!" Naruto was instantly riled up, his aches forgotten.

"Hah! Forget that! I can handle these dogs easy! They're just… not what I was expecting!" Kiba chuckled.

"Yeah, I'd believe that, Naruto. Try not choking up on the leash so much – it makes 'em think you're afraid of 'em, and they don't wanna deal with that. It chokes 'em too – if you give a little more leash, they'll be able to move around more and wear themselves out." Naruto nodded slowly. He didn't know much about dogs, and was prepared to take Kiba's advice.

"If you say so. Hey, what're you doing off-duty? I thought your team had the same off day as us and Shikamaru's team?" Kiba shrugged.

"We got the whole week off team training to recover from our first C-rank mission. I heard you were out of town on something like that too, yeah?" Naruto puffed up.

"Hah! C-rank my ass – we left town on a C-rank, and ended up with two B-ranks as well!" Kiba snarled.

"Bullshit! Genin aren't allowed on B-ranks!" But as Naruto elaborated, Kiba's disbelief flattened into annoyance.

"Ugh, just like you, Naruto, to get lucky as hell like that. I guess you must have gotten better since the Academy to be able to handle a mission like that though…" Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, I'd say so – you probably have as well. Anyways, I'll catch you later dog-breath – these mutts ain't gonna run themselves out!" Naruto unwound the leash and loosened his grip – and once more found himself chasing after the hounds – albeit with a more controlled stride.

Kiba called after him, "Hey, Naruto – you going to the Nine-Tails Festival next week?" But Naruto didn't respond, instead merely speeding his pace.

He rejoined his teammates by tracking the sounds of their dogs' barking, carefully guiding his charges with their leashes and more than a little pleading. Sasuke snorted as he approached, immediately seeing the dirt splattered across his clothing and the scratches on his face, but Naruto wasn't fooled – Sasuke looked somewhat roughed up himself.

"Ran into Kiba – gave me some advice. Try not choking up on the leash – they like to move around on it a bit." The team followed Kiba's advice for the rest of the mission, lapsing into silence. As they drew close to the Inuzuka compound once more in the afternoon, Naruto turned to Kakashi with an inquisitive look.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei – we've been in Konoha for almost two weeks. Can we take another C-ranked mission next?" Kakashi looked up from his book contemplatively.

"Maybe. I'll think about it – you don't think you all could use a little more rest?" Sakura and Sasuke snorted at the same time – the concept of their time in Konoha being a "rest" was laughable at best.

Naruto, though, said nothing, his eyes merely darkening slightly. As if sensing his mood, the rest of the team completed the mission in silence.

* * *

"Troublesome." Shikamaru whispered as Naruto made his move after thinking for several minutes. The lazy boy stared at the Shougi board intently as Naruto grinned, leaning over to take a potato chip from the bag Chouji held. His heavy friend had learned by now to bring larger bags of chips to the weekly game sessions, since Naruto had a habit of stealing the salty snacks as he played.

Chouji, tilting his head as he looked at the board, smiled in amazement. "I've got to say, Naruto, I've never met anyone who was OK with losing to Shikamaru over and over like this…" Naruto shrugged.

"It's not so bad – every time, I get better, and I like seeing lazy-ass over here actually have to think every time I do something crazy." Shikamaru didn't respond, instead running through move after move in his head. The sun was low – it was the third game of the day, and Naruto had come up with a strategy that, though it probably wouldn't beat his insufferably intelligent friend, would almost certainly challenge him.

After thinking for nearly a quarter of an hour, Shikamaru carefully made a move – and Naruto sprung his trap. Sliding his lance across the board, he cackled as Shikamaru groaned theatrically.

"Check, Shikamaru! I thought you'd kept your eye on that!" Shikamaru's mind was already racing though, and his friends could practically hear the finely-tuned machine whirring at full-tilt. He countered Naruto's move, and a flurry of attacks and ripostes followed. Naruto applied Lord Mikaze's teaching – what did he know, what were the motives behind Shikamaru's plays – and so, what would he do next? Every move had its answer, and Naruto let the day bleed away as the game continued.

Finally, as the last sliver of the autumn sun dipped behind the forests to the west, Shikamaru, his forehead drenched in sweat, clapped his hands together and made the final move of the game.

"And… checkmate." Chouji grinned wearily – watching his friends play was tiring enough in its own right. He'd run out of chips nearly an hour ago, and was already beginning to feel the edges of the famed Akimichi appetite. Naruto chuckled ruefully.

"Guess I still can't win, huh, Shikamaru? I thought I had you that time…" Shikamaru, though, shook his head.

"No, perhaps not this time – but you came awfully close. C'mon, you two. I'll treat you bottomless pits to dinner." Naruto and Chouji both widened their eyes comically.

"You?! Treat us?" Chouji's eyes took on a fiery look, and Shikamaru seemed like he promptly regretted his statement. Nonetheless, he nodded.

"Yeah, let's go. Naruto played a good game, and the payment for our last C-rank came in." Both Naruto and Chouji stared feverishly, and Shikamaru quickly amended his statement.

"But no ramen!" Both his companions groaned good-naturedly, but free food was free food. All three quickly aided in cleaning up the shougi board and headed to the mercantile distract. Unfortunately, as they walked, the conversation quickly took a turn that Naruto didn't particularly appreciate.

"Say, Naruto, what's your plan for tomorrow?" Chouji, bouncing along the street with a jovial air that reminded Naruto more of a happy puppy than a ninja, turned to him with a smile. For a moment, Naruto couldn't remember what he was talking about.

"Tomorrow… huh?" Shikamaru shot him an incredulous look.

"Tomorrow. The festival?" Naruto's face opened in an "oh" expression. The Nine-Tails Festival. The bane of Naruto's year.

"Not much. I figure I'll stay in." Chouji seemed practically scandalized by this.

"Stay in?! Naruto, it's the biggest event of the year besides the Spring Festival – how can you just 'stay in'?!" Shikamaru, seeing Naruto's dampened mood, put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"It's fine, Chouji. If Naruto doesn't want to go to the festival, he doesn't have to." Chouji spluttered.

"But… but… there's so much at the festivals! Stalls with food and drinks – sweets and buns!" Shikamaru shrugged.

"I prefer the performances – I hear Hyuuga Hinata, from our graduating class – yeah, the blue-haired one – I hear she's one of the dancers performing the memorial dance at the shrine." Naruto nodded absently, and then perked up as he saw a familiar figure ahead.

"Hey, is that – hey, Sasuke! Sasuke, get over here!" Sasuke turned and, noticing his teammate and old classmates, waited for them to catch up. Chouji, slightly nervous in the presence of the taciturn Uchiha, greeted him.

"How are you, Sasuke-san? We haven't seen you since the Academy…" Sasuke offered a polite nod. Shikamaru, bored, decided it was too much trouble to change the subject.

"We were discussing the festival tomorrow. Will you be attending?" Sasuke shook his head.

"Yes – at least for a time, I suppose. Although…" While Chouji winced, Sasuke turned to Naruto.

"… Given that tomorrow is Naruto's birthday, I suppose our team might have other plans for at least part of the day." Naruto's head shot up in surprise, while Shikamaru's eyebrows rose. Chouji coughed, caught halfway through eating a chip.

"B-birthday?! Naruto, why didn't you say anything?" Naruto shrugged.

"I don't really celebrate my birthday, guys. Sometimes Oji-sama or Iruka-sensei drop in, but it's not really that important." Even Shikamaru was rendered speechless by his matter-of-fact attitude. Chouji frowned, looking determined.

"Naruto, if your birthday is tomorrow, we have to do something to celebrate! We're your friends; you can't expect us to just ignore it!" Naruto looked helplessly towards Shikamaru, who shrugged, and at Sasuke, who gave Naruto a strangely intense look. Naruto threw his hands up.

"All right, fine – let's go!" With a cheer, Chouji led them forwards, announcing that for Naruto's birthday, he'd make certain that they all got into one of the Akimichi-owned restaurants in the center of the market district. Shikamaru sighed in relief for his wallet.

As the group approached the market center, they ran into another familiar face. "Hey, Kiba! What're you doing running around here, dog-breath?" Naruto exclaimed, stepping forward to greet their old classmate. Akamaru barked a responded greeting, and Naruto rubbed a hand across his fuzzy neck.

"Nothing much. My sis has a date and my mom kicked me out so she could do old lady stuff. What the heck are you guys running around for?" Kiba gave the group a double-take – while seeing Naruto with either Sasuke or the boys of Team 10 together wasn't particularly strange, all together it made for an unlikely party. Shikamaru just shrugged again, refusing even to take his hands out of his pockets, while Sasuke nodded abruptly. Chouji, on the other hand…

"It's Naruto's birthday tomorrow and he usually doesn't celebrate it! Wanna join us?" Kiba looked confused for a moment.

"He doesn't… celebrate his birthday?" Kiba's face took on a queer mixture of pity and excitement. Naruto growled.

"Don't you dare pity me, dog-breath -"

"Shut up, moron, I'm not pitying you! I got an idea! If if's Naruto's birthday, then we should do something SPECIAL…" Chouji sniffed.

"Well, of course we are! We're going to an Akimichi restaurant for barbeque!" Kiba shook his head with a grin – a grin Sasuke and Shikamaru paled slightly at. Akamaru whimpered.

"No – well, sure. Can't resist meat. But AFTER that…"

* * *

"I don't know how you talked me into this!" Sasuke shouted.

"What?!" Naruto replied. The dull thumping of the music was far too loud to understand what his teammate was saying, even from immediately next to him.

"I SAID…" Naruto shook his head, and Sasuke growled in frustration, grabbing at a shot of shochu sitting nearby and downed it. Kiba's 'special' idea had been to drag the entire group, immediately after dinner, to a nearby dance bar. As genin, they were all adults, as Naruto and Sasuke had found out the first time they'd ended up in a bar, and were allowed in. Luckily, it was a different bar, and apparently one that hadn't heard of their complicity in Lee's rampage through the last one.

Naruto groaned as he watched Sasuke pound away at his third shot in fifteen minutes – he was already fairly certain they'd be making another trip to Sakura's home at an ungodly hour. Perhaps he'd save her the trouble… but no, the only other medic-nin Naruto could think of was Hinata, and the Hyuuga compound wasn't somewhere Naruto thought he'd be welcome at the best of times, let alone while dragging a half-conscious, vomiting Uchiha.

Shikamaru, at his other side, had gone through nearly an entire bottle of sake by himself before settling it down and beginning a rant on the problems with women – a rant he still had yet to complete.

"… and I'm just telling you man, those women are troublesome, man, really troublesome; and they always want you to DO things, like my mom, she's always telling me to DO things and it's not fair, because I do things, just not the things she wants me to do, man, and it's all troublesome – and then I get my team and BAM there's Ino right there telling us to DO things again, and even Asuma-sensei is poisoned by the estrogen or something because he wants us to DO things all the time like exercising and stretching my shadow and I'm sure my mom must have told him because my dad always tells me 'son, if anything goes wrong, it's probably your mom's fault,' and then she gets mad, but he only says that when he's joking around, so maybe he doesn't mean that, but I don't know because I don't really listen carefully because you know, man, there are only so many clouds to look at, and clouds don't tell you to do things, man, because they're just there floating along like I want to be, just floating along through the sky, and Ino can't tell them to do things – but my mom probably could, man, because let me tell you…"

Naruto looked away again, after ascertaining that, yes; Shikamaru was still fully capable of breathing correctly. Chouji had fallen asleep long ago, and was snoring lustily beneath Naruto's chair, where the group had tucked him. Kiba, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found, and Naruto, slightly tipsy and quickly realizing that his so-called bloodline was preventing him from getting drunk at his own party, wasn't particularly in a mood to figure things out.

Sasuke, fairly tipsy himself, grabbed at his sake bottle and leaned over, his eyes focused somewhere in the middle distance. "Don't look now, but there's… there's… that one chick… the snake chick with the dango… I remember I accidently took a dango order meant for her once…" Sasuke shuddered violently, spilling a fair amount of sake on himself. Naruto couldn't tell who his teammate was pointing at in a crowd of jounin and special jounin, and instead decided to carefully tilt Sasuke's bottle upright in his hand once more. Shikamaru, pausing for breath during his rant, looked over at Chouji, under Naruto's seat, with a newfound focus.

"Is he all right?" Naruto nodded, surprised that Shikamaru, certainly the shortest and skinniest amongst their group now that Naruto had actually begun to grow a little, was able to put together so coherent a thought in the state he was in.

"Yeah, he's fine. I'm making sure he doesn't roll over and choke or something – we learned that last time." Shikamaru nodded absently.

"That's good. If he choked, I'm pretty sure my mom would have my ass, because seriously, man, my mom gets really mad when I don't pay attention and bad things happen, because she's always sure that they happen because…" Naruto tuned him out again, turning to Sasuke, who was staring at the crowd again.

"What, man, is that dango chick just that hot?" Sasuke mutely shook his head.

"Kiba's sister gave us our mission yesterday…" Naruto patted him on the back.

"Yes, yes she did." Sasuke nodded at this.

"She's pretty. She looks familiar." Naruto snorted. "Probably because she looks like Kiba, buddy. Well, no, not really – but she'd got the same triangles." Sasuke smiled, and then hiccupped.

Naruto spun then as he heard Kiba's voice rise above the music – and given the infernal volume the music was set to, that was loud indeed.

"I don't care, asshole! I'm a genin now, and you can't tell me what to do! It's my day off; I can go wherever I want!" Naruto elbowed his way through the crowd to find Kiba arguing with…

"Oh damn it, Kiba, why…" Standing before Kiba were three chuunin wearing standard uniforms and vests – but with light blue uniform shirts and pants rather than dark, and the four-pointed stars of the military police on either shoulder. The one at the front bore the red triangles of the Inuzuka clan on his cheeks.

"Doesn't matter, Kiba-chan – Tsume-sama gave us strict orders that you weren't supposed to be wandering around in bars until you were at least a chuunin, so you had something to keep you from just screwing around!" On the ground at their feet, little Akamaru's hair stood on end as he faced a dog nearly three times his size. Both canines growled, reflecting the taut air between their masters. One of the other Inuzuka's comrades, a woman with dark hair, stepped forward.

"C'mon, Inuzuka, let the kid off the hook – he's legal, after all." Kiba snarled even at this intervention.

"I'm not a kid!" Naruto saw the telltale red in his cheeks – Kiba, much like his companions, had been drinking well more than was advisable. Naruto stepped forward, grabbing hold of Kiba as he lunged forward, holding him back with just a hint of struggle – Kiba was tough, and certainly had more muscle mass than Naruto. It was better, Naruto thought, to make sure Kiba didn't end up committing drunken fratricide in a random techno bar.

"Hey, uh, MP-san – Kiba's just a little sloshed. Maybe I should just take him home or whatever, right?" The Inuzuka narrowed his eyes.

"Probably should have known you were involved in this. Caused any other trouble lately?"

Well, on the other hand. Naruto let Kiba go.

* * *

"Ugh, my head." Chouji moaned as he looked up at the grey ceiling of the room the five genin found themselves in. Shikamaru was lying down on a nearby bench, staring at the ceiling much as Chouji was, and Naruto wasn't actually entirely certain he hadn't fallen asleep. Kiba was pacing back and forth, a low growl resonating from his throat, while Akamaru slumbered quietly next to Chouji. Sasuke, on the other hand, sat quietly in the corner with his eyes closed, in a classic meditation posture.

After Kiba had nearly savaged the military policeman, the genin had all been gathered by the MPs and dragged to the nearby station to be thrown in a room Naruto had learned was called "the drunk tank." Naruto had protested that he wasn't drunk – but had quickly realized that the alternative to sitting in the featureless room with his comrades was leaving them behind to stew in their own drunken mess.

And so, Naruto sat in the drunk tank with his friends. Any disgust he felt towards himself for getting drunk – or, well, trying to – and winding up in the cellar of a military police station was tempered by the soaring feeling that accompanied his realization.

Naruto had friends. Not people he played shougi with, not teammates, but friends. People who enjoyed his company, and whose company he enjoyed. These weren't the Hokage and Iruka, people who took care of him, or Teuchi and Ayame, who were friends from his childhood who'd taken in a confused little boy who'd had nowhere else to eat – these were people he had befriended.

The happy bubble in Naruto's belly popped abruptly at the sound of the door at the far end of the hallway clanging open.

"All right, where're those idiot kids of ours?!" Into view swept the rangy form of Inuzuka Tsume. Tall, lithely muscled, with wild hair and the same feral eyes and tattoos as Kiba, Tsume was dressed in a typical jounin uniform. Behind her padded a huge, dark beast closer to wolf than man, with a single golden eye.

Behind the animalistic pair walked Nara Shikaku and his old friend, Chouji's father. Akimichi Chouza had flaming red hair and a pair of violet lines tattooed on his face that ran from his chin to just below his eyes. Instead of the standard jounin vest, he wore thick green armor reminiscent of that worn by the samurai Naruto had seen in Ka-Shi over his blue uniform clothing.

The three members of Konoha's Council stared at their children, who quailed beneath the weight of their parents' eyes. Naruto glanced back at Sasuke, who was looking back at him. He made a split-second decision.

"Honored, uh… Council members! I am Genin Uzumaki Naruto, and I take responsibility for all of this – it's my fault they're here! I came up with the plan – they shouldn't get into any trouble!" Naruto announced. The three older ninja looked astonished at Naruto's proclamation. Kiba, turning from his mother to Naruto, snarled.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?! I came up with – ugh!" Kiba coughed as Naruto elbowed him. At this, Tsume laughed, the raucous sound echoing through the hallway and cell.

"Well I'll be a monkey's aunt! Kid, nice try, but sounds like my idiot son gave ya away! Not that I'd believe you did this for a second any day, though!" Naruto tilted his head in confusion, accepting that Kiba's outburst had given away the game.

"Wait, why not? It's not like I didn't cause enough trouble..." Shikamaru, quietly standing next to Naruto, across from his own father, answered.

"It's because you stepped forward like that – and because you're not drunk. My dad's probably already told them why he assumes we went to the bar, and they probably know that you don't celebrate your birthdays much." Shikaku smirked at his son.

"Quite. On that note, it's past midnight. Happy birthday, Naruto." Naruto froze as birthday wishes flowed towards him from all sides. His eyes itched, and he held himself back by biting his tongue – hard.

Through the metallic taste of the blood, he croaked, "Th-thanks… guys… Thanks… for everything." With a click, the cell door slid open, and Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba trundled towards the exit. The two men, chuckling, took their sons by the shoulder, while Tsume lingered.

"Everything Shikaku said is true – but I didn't know 'cause of any of that. I smelt it on ya, brat – you're a good kid." Naruto only nodded as the older woman grasped her son by the ear and dragged him away, her dog carrying a snoozing Akamaru by the scruff.

Naruto turned back to Sasuke, still sitting in the corner, and paced over to sit next to him, slumping with a groan. "And for all that, guess we'll get to stick around here until the morning, huh?" Sasuke nodded silently. His eyes had a strange, wistful look that Naruto didn't recognize.

"What's up, Sasuke." Naruto's words came out as a statement rather than a query, and Sasuke sighed.

"It's just… this building. You know the Uchiha used to run the Military Police?" Naruto snorted.

"Do I ever… I got caught by them so often, got dragged in front of the Hokage or Iruka-sensei too. Man… good times." Naruto paused and looked to Sasuke, but his teammate's face was placid, lost in memories.

"I remember my father walking through these halls – or the halls of a station just like it – with me on his shoulders… Itachi, my brother… he was never one for the MPs – he was too… skilled. My father told me that if I worked hard, all of this would one day be my responsibility." Naruto didn't know how to respond. Sasuke made an odd noise, and Naruto saw a strange shine in Sasuke's eyes – a shine he recognized as a tear, after a shocked moment.

"I never thought I'd see the inside of these buildings again… and now, I'm sure of it – I never want to." Naruto could only nod, placing a hand on the black-haired genin's shoulder. With Sasuke lost in memories, Naruto began to speak.

"I don't like my birthday… well, usually. I REALLY don't like the festival. Ever since I was a kid, Hokage-oji-sama always told me to stay the hell away from it, you know? It just seemed so… strange, anyways. I mean, celebrating the dead is one thing, but with that kind of party just seems… messed up. I mean, a lot of peoples' parents died that day… my parents…" Naruto lapsed into silence for a moment, noticing that Sasuke had turned to look at him.

"I don't even know who my parents are. That's pretty messed up, huh, Sasuke? You're lucky – at least you know they loved you, huh? Man, that's a messed-up thing to say." Sasuke just grunted and elbowed Naruto. Naruto looked at him in shock, and then elbowed him back. The two elbowed back and forth, steadily holding themselves back until both began laughing – Naruto in loud, long guffaws, and Sasuke quietly, his shoulders shaking and breathe catching in his throat.

"Well, isn't this a cozy little surprise?" Both the genin, gasping for breath, turned to the doorway, where their teacher stood, leaning against the wall.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto scrambled to his feet. Sasuke tried to follow suit, but, still drunk, instead lurched somewhat sideways before his teammate could grab him and pull him upright. Kakashi shook his head.

"What a prize couple of buffoons you make. And here I avoided any punishment after your incident with Gai and his students since I thought you'd learned your lesson." Naruto felt the shame flood back into him. Sasuke stepped forward with a fierce look in his eye.

"It's Naruto's birthday. We meant to give him a celebration." Kakashi's eye glinted with a hint of something before it went blank again.

"Well, I suppose you managed that, at least. Come with me." Kakashi led them out of the drunk tank and through the hall, upstairs and through the station into the cool night air of Konoha. Sasuke and Naruto followed him silently as the jounin led them through the city and across the fields to their usual Training Ground.

Once they'd reached Training Ground 21, Kakashi turned to them, his eye fierce. "Since you're clearly lively enough to play around, I suppose you're lively enough to train." Kakashi took on a fighting stance and both his students' stomachs dropped into their legs.

"Your assignment for the night is to fight me. Your time begins now."

* * *

The next morning, Sakura found her entire team already at the training field – she stared, totally shocked, at Kakashi, early for the first time since she'd met him. Sasuke was sleeping under a tree, looking like he'd gone fifteen rounds with an angry bear in a mud pit. Naruto was also sleeping, sitting against the same tree – only marginally less dirty. Kakashi looked up from his book as Sakura approached.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei… what happened to them…" Sakura hurried over to her teammates, but Kakashi just grinned.

"Nothing at all. They were just doing some… training… They got involved in a little escapade yesterday – which is why they'll have to be punished…" Sakura nodded as she shook her teammates awake. Naruto groaned as the sun hit his eyes.

"Agh, it burns… Why… Sakura-chan? Oh shit, is it the morning?" Sasuke just moaned feebly and rolled over, requiring several nudges from Sakura's shoe before he finally moved onto his back, staring up at the sky sightlessly.

"Every bone in my body aches." Kakashi grinned.

"Oh, you think that's bad; you haven't heard the worst of your punishment. Thanks to your screwing around yesterday, I've decided that today won't be a day off after all!" Sakura shrieked in protest.

"But Sensei! It's the Festival today! That's not FAIR!" Sakura immediately realized the childishness of her statement. They were a team – and if Naruto and Sasuke were to be punished, she would accept the punishment too. But, she thought, looking at the two, she wouldn't have to do so happily.

Kakashi, as if reading her thoughts, nodded. "It isn't, but then, life isn't fair. I've sent word ahead to the mission assignment desk for us to pick up a C-rank mission out of town – now, I know you'll have to miss the festival, but, well, that's the lesson you learn, I guess!" As Kakashi shot his team a self-satisfied smile, Sakura caught a glance exchanged between her teammates and felt oddly left out. Naruto smiled.

"Well, I guess we'll have to learn our lesson, then…" Sasuke, shielding his eyes, stood as well. "Yes. We have faltered. And must be punished." Sakura gaped slightly. She knew she was missing something. Kakashi shrugged.

"Well, good on you all for taking it so well. I'll meet you at the mission desk!" Kakashi vanished in a whirl of leaves and grass. Sakura whirled on her teammates.

"What did you two DO?! And why are you so chipper about missing the festival?" Naruto looked chagrined.

"Sakura-chan, I'm really sorry you have to miss the -" Sakura shook her head.

"Shut up, Naruto – I don't care about the festival – I always spend most of it reading on my own anyways. I'm missing something else, though, and you're going to tell me what… or… or… or I won't heal Sasuke's hangover!" Sasuke groaned at this.

"Fine, fine. Today's Naruto's birthday, so Kiba dragged us to a bar and managed to get us all thrown in the drunk tank. Naruto hates the Nine-Tails Festival, so getting away from town today is actually a bonus. Happy?" Sakura stared at her teammates, shocked for a moment. How did she always manage to miss these moments?

Naruto stared nervously at her, and Sakura felt her lips curve into a smile. It was his birthday, and she hadn't even known! Then and there, she swore to be a better teammate to Naruto – and Sasuke, for that matter.

"Happy Birthday, Naruto. And for what it's worth – if it makes you happy to get away from the festival, then it's all right by me." Naruto grinned.

"So everything's OK, then?" Sakura smirked vindictively.

"Hardly. Next time you two idiots get drunk, I'm coming too!"

* * *

**Technique Library**: Chakra no Mesu no Jutsu (Chakra Scalpel Technique): A healing A-ranked ninjutsu which forms the user's chakra into a very small, sharp blade which extends only a very short distance from the user's hand. This technique is usually used for accurate incisions in the course of anatomical dissections or surgery. The scalpel's cuts can be targeted to affect the inside of the body rather than creating an open wound by avoiding damage to the skin. The scalpel can also be used offensively, but requires even greater precision and control this way – thus, offensive scalpel use is highly irregular.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

This chapter, with the team back in Konoha, took up that sort of quasi-vignette style again – I must confess my dislike of the extended training sequences some stories use – to me, Naruto has always been about the characters, the world, and the action – not the minutiae of learning a given technique or extending a plot point.

I foresee at least some commentary regarding how Naruto's seal training and use is going forward, but rather than trying to forestall it, I'll embrace it – look forward to any answers regarding that subject next chapter!

The next chapter will once again take our heroes out of Konoha, but only for part of the chapter – don't worry, the Nine-Tails Festival won't totally go ignored! Hell, after this much hinting and foreshadowing, it'd be practically criminal of me.

This chapter, we hit (and surpassed) 100 reviews! I'm very pleased at that – I'd love to hear from more readers, if you have the time. A few responses to selected reviews:

_theIrishWriter_: I figured the name would clue people in. Yes, Naruto will be learning the Rasengan, though, as you can see, that is quite a ways off. Jiraiya's whole existence in this fic so far is foreshadowing of a series of plotlines a long ways down the road – and the seal key most certainly is involved. The Iwa-nin most certainly may have had a moment of panic, but since we don't see things from their perspective, that wouldn't really fit into the story, unfortunately. Maybe later, though – this is hardly the last we'll see of Iwa-nin in this tale!

_Shinobi of life_: I believe I mentioned this in an earlier note, but that mission will be appearing, as will those characters – though hopefully in a manner that hasn't been done (or at the absolute least, hasn't been done often).

_Will Heins_: Keep thinking, you may hit upon it eventually. I figured that Naruto's growth could hardly go without including Naruto's first kiss – after all, one's development in a romantic sense is as important as anything else to one's development into an adult. I don't want to give anything away about the future, but I'll say at the least that though I may have fiddled with details of Akatsuki's plans and such, the timeframe remains the same – and thus the concept of a training trip will likely still exist, unless the story has diverged so far by then that it's untenable. And don't apologize, I like hearing from readers.

_JGWO_: At the very least, I don't plan to bulldoze my characters' development. How that sequence is dealt with will have to wait until the Wave mission for answers!

_devo342_: I can only assume you meant the way I explained the basic "Bunshin" technique as a "non-elemental genjutsu." What I meant by that is that the Bunshin technique is a genjutsu, and that it doesn't use any elemental or healing (or other altered) chakra. I didn't mean to imply that there were elemental genjutsu, as there, as you astutely pointed out, are none.

_zolydck_: My original concept for this story was actually a series of vignettes moving through Naruto's career where he learns philosophical lessons that make him a better person and ninja. That sounded like it'd bore most readers to tears, which is why I essentially built a framework of a story around it, which developed into this. You can be sure that there'll be a lot more philosophy and dilemmas in the chapters to come!

_EVA-Saiyajin_: I went back to look at the dialogue, and while you're definitely right that Kakashi's dialogue includes a fair few exclamation points, I rather intended Kakashi in this story to have a bit more motivation behind him – he is actually trying to make his students better ninja after all. Thus, I felt that a little more "oomph" was in-character for him. Nevertheless, I'll take your note into consideration and try to limit how I use them.

Thank you all for reading, and for your support; please review if you have a chance!

- The Captain


	11. Chapter 11: Is a Friend Indeed

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: August 31, 2014 (Updated September 5)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 11: Is a Friend Indeed**

_Wherein secrets come out at last._

* * *

The fresh air of the forests outside Konoha was tinged with the sharp scent of wild mint as Team 7 made their way out of the village once more. All around were the ripe berries of autumn, their colors melding into the sunlight as it shone through the red and gold of the falling leaves.

In the meanwhile, a quiet, companionable peace hovered amongst the ninja. It was good, Naruto reflected, to be out of Konoha again. As much as he loved his home, every year the biting annoyance of the Nine-Tails Festival came as a new and unwelcome pain.

It wasn't merely the Festival's entirely ironic nature that stung him – the celebration of an event which had cost the lives of almost as many brave Konoha ninja as the Third War, nor was it the warnings he'd been given by the Hokage to avoid the village proper during the festivities, for reasons he hadn't understood until recently.

Instead, what bit Naruto was the happiness and joy he saw amongst families during the festival – the warm love and care he could see so easily afforded to others – and never to himself. Even the Hokage and Iruka treated Naruto with just the slightest hint of distance – understandable, since both had many people that fell to their care and couldn't offer their full attention to a single boy, no matter how in need. Still…

Naruto's reverie was, happily, interrupted by his teacher's quiet cough. "So… now that we're out of Konoha, let's go over the mission. I picked up a simple one – just a day trip, really. Mission C-35021, designated as prisoner transport. We're the last leg of a relay, actually – our prisoner is a D-ranked missing-nin of Konoha – he abandoned the village's service as a genin many years ago." Kakashi paused at his students' various exclamations of outrage. It was a rare missing-nin whose designation was so low, since few of such caliber survived the hunter-nin long enough even to make it into the Bingo Book.

"Yes, I know. Still – Hayashi Michisato may not particularly be a dangerous target, but he's a criminal nonetheless. Our intelligence has it that he ran a gang of bandits on the Molten Road in the north until his capture by the Fire Lord's forces recently. Since Konoha was closer than Ka-Shi, we'll be returning him home for trial and potentially execution." The genin nodded at this. Sakura raised a hand.

"Sensei, are hostilities expected? After all, if the Fire Lord's forces captured him, won't his bandits likely have been dealt with already?" Kakashi shrugged.

"The mission scroll is ambiguous. I wouldn't go so far as to say the bandits definitely survived, but there are probably at least some left – and they may well try to retrieve their leader."

Naruto nodded. "Makes sense to me. Are we picking him up just outside the forest, then?" It was common knowledge that the Fire Lord's armies weren't allowed into the Konoha Forest that protected the hidden village. The measure was meant to balance power, though it was hardly necessary as a practical matter; any force of samurai capable of presenting a threat to Konoha could be seen and tracked from leagues away.

Kakashi nodded. The team sped up, their feet carrying them along the road swiftly. The journey took a few hours, and they emerged into the open ground where the noontime sunlight spread a hazy glow through the autumn sky. Everywhere the golden wheat and pearly rice paddies were being felled and gathered before the coming of winter, and the ninja passed amidst it all, daylight shadows.

* * *

Team 7 came upon the village noted on their mission scroll not long after they exited the trees. Hotaru no Mura wasn't a particularly well-populated place, having few buildings - an inn, a general store, a few other shops, and several residences. Its main features were a well-fortified little enclosure that stood in the center of the town and a wide commons where market stalls could be set up during weekends. Hotaru no Mura served as the market town for dozens of farms nearby – but during the mid-harvest season, when foodstuffs were still being cut from the earth, it was a quiet place, with most of its population in the fields.

"Firefly Village, huh? Pretty place." Sakura reflected as the team made their way along the short dirt path that served as a main street. Villagers to either side gave them amiable nods, and while neither Kakashi nor Sasuke responded in kind, Naruto did, an easy grin on his face.

Sakura wondered what it could be about their home that had put Naruto in such a strange mood earlier. Her usually-easygoing teammate had been dark and taciturn, almost as much so as Sasuke was on a regular basis. Sasuke himself seemed to know, given the calculating glances he'd thrown Naruto's way, but didn't see fit to tell her. Once more, Sakura wished her teammates had brought her along for the drunken escapades that had been the root of their camaraderie.

Kakashi led the team to the town's central enclosure, nodding to the samurai guard who stood outside. He withdrew the mission scroll from his vest. "Konoha Genin Team 7 here for prisoner transport… we had word you'd captured Hayashi Michisato?"

The samurai nodded. "Yes sir. Hayashi is being held in the cells inside, and the rest of my squad is keeping an eye on him."

Team 7 trooped into the low-roofed building – Kakashi had to stoop – where six more samurai crowded around a small table, quietly discussing something. The samurai quieted as the shinobi entered, and one of them, whom Sakura was fairly certain was their leader, stood.

"Jounin-san. You here for Hayashi?" Kakashi nodded and looked towards his students.

"Sakura, with me. Sasuke, Naruto, stay up here." Sakura nodded and followed Kakashi towards the staircase that led to the cells below the enclosure. The room was quiet but for the metallic jingle of armor – and the harsh breathing of the fighting men all around her.

Below, the building was even darker, the only light a cut in the wall through which the sun shone. The pale shaft cut through the gloom and filled the small dungeon with a shadowy light as it ricocheted through the dust, and Sakura could see a figure lying in one of the two cells set against the wall. It stirred.

"So, you got your pickup crew, samurai-san? I told ya, it won't come to nothin'; my boys'll tear 'em a new one."

The officer snorted. "He's all yours."

Kakashi and Sakura stood in silence a moment longer as the shadowed figure sat up, the light barely illuminating his form – a tall, well-built frame with what looked like rags covering it. The missing-nin snorted.

"A half-blind scarecrow and a little girl? Konoha's standards are depressing of late, eh? Still, you must be a jounin… counts for something, I guess. Still, you won't be able to hold onto me." Kakashi still said nothing as he opened the door, and led the prisoner out of the cell. Sakura could help but bite out a reply.

"We have two more upstairs. You aren't going anywhere."

Hayashi just laughed again. "Two more children, I wager – won't matter a bit. My boys'll be coming for you, ninja." Sakura ignored the bluster – she knew that it would take far more than a few bandits to defeat Team 7, even without Kakashi there. They led Hayashi up the stairs, pausing only to re-tie his hands. The man was tall with a cruel face, deep-set eyes glaring out at the world. His face was marred with scars, and his jaw shadowed with a burgeoning beard. Sakura didn't find it hard to believe that such a man was a bandit, no matter how much she knew that she shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Once they got upstairs, the bandit exclaimed, "Well, looks like I'm out of your hands, gents – off to Konoha – these kids'll have to deal with my boys instead of you lot! Where are these other two tykes that'll be takin' old Hayashi Michisato to his death, then?"

"Right here." Naruto and Sasuke stepped out from a shadowed corner, and Sakura could see the blood drain from Hayashi's face. The bandit's skin was a papery white, and his breathing stalled.

"What… is that the -" Before Hayashi could finish his thought, Kakashi was moving, delivering a brutal blow across the bandit's face that sent Hayashi's head to the side and what looked like spittle and blood flying from his mouth. Sakura gave a short exclamation, and Sasuke looked surprised – but Sakura saw that Naruto's face had returned to the dark visage it had borne earlier.

"None of that, now." Kakashi said, with a false cheer. "These are my other two soldiers, and we'll be very pleased to take you to the execution block." He gave a short nod to the samurai before shoving the bandit through the doors. Sakura paused for a moment along with Sasuke, even as Naruto followed his teacher.

"What was that all about?"

Sasuke could only shrug.

* * *

The road passed quite quickly beneath Team 7's feet, even with Hayashi making whatever efforts he could to slow them down by dragging his steps and occasionally stumbling. Then again, Sasuke thought, the stumbling might have been brought along by Kakashi's occasional blows.

"How could you Konoha monsters bring -" Another such strike silenced Hayashi again, but presumably not for long. Sasuke, in other circumstances, might have been amused by the insistence and total unwillingness to learn that Hayashi characterized, but was currently too busy being confused at Kakashi's treatment of the missing-nin. Certainly he was annoying, but Kakashi struck the man every time he tried to speak – clearly, in Sasuke's mind, trying to keep him from saying something.

Saying something about Naruto in particular, Sasuke was certain. The other boy had been quiet, with his lips drawn thin, ever since Hayashi had been brought upstairs. Given that he'd shown no such signs of unhappiness before Hayashi's appearance, Sasuke was certain that his teammate's attitude, Hayashi's attempted commentary, and Kakashi's actions were all directly related.

Bound up together in some sort of strange mystery that they didn't want Sasuke and Sakura to know about, it seemed. Sasuke felt the stirrings of anger – hadn't he told Naruto about his family, and about the police, only the previous night? Hadn't he shared his past with Naruto? What could be so bad that Naruto wouldn't – or couldn't – reciprocate?

'_Yet,_' Sasuke's mind guiltily reminded him, '_you haven't told him everything – you haven't told him about… Itachi…_'

"Freaks… That's what you are." Hayashi's voice sniped again. Kakashi just gave him a level gaze to quiet him this time. Sasuke could see the fiery hatred the missing-nin bore in his eyes, focused on Naruto, who walked ahead of them. "Bringing that... THING out here. I suppose that's why you weren't worried, jounin."

Kakashi only gave a noncommittal shrug, unwilling to engage the missing-nin in rhetoric. Naruto, still walking at the forefront of the team's formation, didn't react to the words openly, but Sasuke could see the hairs on his neck stiffen. Or perhaps, Sasuke would think later, he'd sensed the eerie calm the forest had taken on around them.

"DOWN!" Naruto cried just then, hurling himself to the ground under a whistling wave of arrows that flew through the air overhead. The other ninja were on the move as well, Kakashi grabbing Hayashi and dragging him down so he wouldn't have a chance to escape in the confusion. Sakura had been far enough behind that the arrows hadn't come near her, so she dashed forward – Sasuke, in the meanwhile, had fallen down, rolled over, and immediately begun a technique Kakashi had taught him fairly recently.

"**Katon: Taiyou Ten no Jutsu!**" An initial pulse of chakra warned Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi to close their eyes just before a blazing flash lit the road and the forest around it in a brilliant light for just a moment – a moment filled with the agonized screams of the bandits surrounding Team 7. Hayashi, too, was screaming in agony, his eyes filled with the spots and flashes induced the by burst of light, and Kakashi's calm voice rapped out orders.

"Naruto, take the left – Sasuke, the right. Sakura, take center position and prevent any enemies from reaching me or the target. Go now." With an affirmative cry, Sasuke saw Naruto leap towards the forests on the left, where stumbling figures could be seen. He moved to the right silently, knowing that his opponents' sight would return to them shortly.

Sasuke contemplated first simply unleashing a fire technique into the woods – but here, even more so than in the southern Fire Country, the trees and brush were densely packed, and the loam was thick. Setting a fire here would be, in a word, disastrous. Instead, Sasuke realized, he'd have to stick to his less-destructive techniques.

As he moved into the forest area, hearing shouts from the other side where Naruto had clearly engaged the enemy, he found six bandits blinking wildly, just regaining their sight. Sasuke didn't give them the time to prepare themselves, instead falling on them with all the rage of a wolf.

His sword out, he slashed across the nearest bandit's hamstrings, parting the muscle easily and sending the man to the ground with a cry – he would require no further action, Sasuke was certain. The others had turned to him upon hearing their comrade yell.

"Get him!" Sasuke immediately designated the speaker as the likely leader of the opposing group, and took stock of his situation. While the bandit he had disabled lay behind him, groaning and writhing in pain, the other five were spread in an arc before him. Three had bows drawn, but were in the process of dropping the ranged weapons and reaching for hatchets and machetes thrust into their belts, while the other two held spears. Sasuke slid towards the nearest foe, one of the bowmen.

The bowman, as Sasuke had expected, frantically tried to move away while his allies came to his aid – but Sasuke was faster, and more importantly, was a ninja. Instead of continuing directly towards the man, Sasuke shifted his weight and ran several steps up a tree directly to the man's right, then overhead along a branch.

One of the bandits cried out and turned, but Sasuke had already dropped in the midst of them, and he flashed through the same familiar kata he'd used to nearly defeat Tenten in their previous spar. This time, the attack faced no opposition as his blows tore first through the leg, then the throat of the bandit bowman.

"He got Jou! Kill the bastard!" A spear descended towards Sasuke's shoulder, and the young ninja felt his heart sing with the music of battle – his blade quickly parried the blow as Sasuke's mind raced ahead. A sweeping slash cleared him the space he needed, and his hands came together for another technique.

"**Raiton: Seidenki no Jutsu!**" The sparking aura that overtook him sent the bandits into a confused tizzy, but Sasuke only smirked, lunging forward. A simple press of his blade against the spear-wielder's own weapon sent sparks racing between them, and Sasuke leaned forward enough to engulf the other man's arm in his aura. With a scream, the bandit locked into a straightened posture before falling in a crackle of electricity that ran through him. He twitched on the ground, trying to regain control of himself, but Sasuke knew it wouldn't happen soon enough to affect the fight.

A yell drew his attention – two of the bandits he'd been facing – the two remaining men who'd used bows – were moving onto the road, headed for Sakura. Sasuke turned his attention back to the erstwhile leader, whose hands trembled on his spear. Sakura, he was certain, could take care of herself against a pair of bandit scum – and Kakashi was there if things should somehow get out of hand.

"Get away from me, boy – you… you can't…" Sasuke smiled at the fear in the bandit's voice; it was strangely intoxicating. Not that Sasuke would allow himself to revel in the feeling.

"Throw your spear down." The man didn't, and Sasuke simply dove forward, his sword already on the move. A flash of steel ended the fight as his cut tore through the bandit's flank and spine, hanging for only a moment against the sheer bone. As the bandit fell, Sasuke sighed, withdrawing a clean piece of cloth from his belt pouch. About him lay two men injured and two slain – and as the battle-mist faded from his mind, he couldn't help but wonder what it had all been in aid of.

Sasuke pressed his lips together hard. He was a warrior now, and couldn't let these men's fate bother him. They'd made their beds, and would lie in them.

Even if those beds happened to be coffins.

* * *

On the other side of the clearing, Naruto brought his fist crashing into the final bandit's face, simultaneously feeling his two clones who'd been holding the man still vanish. Forced to stay still as the blow landed, but released just after, the man slumped bonelessly to the ground. The small clearing was a distasteful place now, filled with the bodies of eight men, most unconscious – but for one whose neck had snapped under the surprise strike Naruto had dealt him.

The fight, short as it was, had been an excellent distraction from the dark mood Naruto had been plunged into all day. Now, as it ended, Naruto felt the clouds descend on his heart again as he summoned a series of shadow clones to drag the bodies, unconscious and not, back to the roadway.

Sakura waited there with two unconscious bandits, Kakashi, and a shocked Hayashi. His teammate nodded to him, and Naruto shrugged in response.

"Dealt with my lot. Sasuke done?" In answer, their other teammate emerged from the brush on the other side of the road.

"Clear. You'll want to grab the ones over there too." Naruto nodded, and once his clones had brought his own foes back, he sent them to retrieve Sasuke's. Sakura sighed.

"That was… short. Sensei, what should we do with them now?" Kakashi turned to Naruto.

"Naruto, what do you recommend?" Naruto was surprised from his mood for a moment before nodding thoughtfully.

"I've… got a spare storage scroll we can seal the dead ones into – but most of them are alive. I guess I could seal them to stay unconscious, and we could leave them here for another team to come pick up?"

Kakashi nodded. "Do it. They'll keep, especially this close to Konoha. We can let the gate guards know when we return."

Naruto set about his work, but still couldn't help hearing Hayashi's hoarse voice a moment later. "Why… why didn't you use… IT?"

Kakashi moved first, pressing his fingers fiercely into the missing-nin's shoulder, and he fell unconscious with a grunt, but the words had been said. Sakura looked back towards her teammate and teacher with an indecipherable look, and though Sasuke, who'd just finished cleaning his blade, looked away studiously, Naruto sensed the confusion and annoyance in their looks.

He felt his anger and frustration overtake him – but who could he lash out at? Hayashi? The man was unconscious, and even if he hadn't been, there was nothing he could do or say to the missing-nin. His teammates had done nothing wrong. The Yondaime Hokage was dead. He didn't even know where the demon that lay within him was, let alone whether it was in any state that he could shout at it.

There was nothing. Instead, Naruto applied himself silently to inking status seals on the living bandits before letting his clones stack them to the side of the road. He stood, giving his teammates a silent nod, and they continued, Hayashi thrown over Kakashi's shoulder. A tense, uncomfortable silence lingered in that air that Naruto wasn't certain how to lift.

Or worse, one which he DID know how to lift – yet couldn't bring himself to.

* * *

Contrary to Kakashi's words that morning, Team 7 reached Konoha nearly an hour before sunset, with the flaming orb hanging in the sky like a low-hanging orange. The gate guards had responded amiably, agreeing to send a couple of ninja immediately to retrieve the unconscious bandits they'd left in the woods. Team 7 reported their success to the mission assignment desk, leaving behind the storage scroll with the bandits' bodies as well as Hayashi himself.

Only a very few clerks remained in the administrative buildings – the few who were willing to ignore the shouts of celebration outside, coupled with the sounds and lights that signified the joyous festivities that percolated through the windows of the stuffy offices. Sakura reflected that these were people like her own team, none of whom had been particularly enthused at the prospect of the Nine-Tails Festival.

As the team stepped outside, Kakashi snapped his book closed and turned to his students. "You all have the rest of the day off – meet tomorrow as normal, and we'll discuss whether to get back to D-ranked assignments, or to take another C mission. Dismissed!" With a puff of smoke, Kakashi vanished, leaving the genin behind, and to their own devices.

Sakura looked to her teammates, both of whom returned her awkward look. Sasuke looked as fidgety as she had ever seen him, his foot scuffing the ground and his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. Naruto, unhappy look in his eyes aside, was stiff in a manner that looked both unpleasant and painful to the usually-energetic genin. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, only to see Naruto do so as well. The two broke into grins, and their soft chuckles pierced the silence.

"Hehe… I'm sorry for being such a… well, such an asshole today, guys." Naruto said softly, his lips twisting into a sideways smile. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes, but there was more warmth there than had been before, and Sakura shook her head.

"Don't mention it… I get the feeling it's something personal, huh?" Naruto nodded, and Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto – you know we're here for you, right? We're your teammates, and if you need something, help, or someone to talk to, or anything – we're around." Naruto nodded, and Sakura saw the liquid swimming in his eyes – but said nothing. Sasuke coughed quietly.

"Sakura, the festival is still going on – if you wanted to go, it was really only Naruto and I who…" Sakura shook her head, almost frustrated.

"Don't you get it? Sasuke, we're a team - if you guys aren't going to the festival, I'm not either." Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a glance, and Naruto's face broke into a grin.

"Then we'd ALL better get going to the festival, huh?" Sakura frowned.

"Are you sure? I mean, you didn't seem like you really -" But Naruto interrupted with a shake of his head.

"No way! Sakura-chan, if what you said about being a team and all is true, then it's just as selfish for me to keep saying I don't wanna go when you do!" Sakura could have interrupted Naruto to tell him that she really wasn't particularly interested – but remained quiet. Some part of her, an insatiably curious part, wanted to know very badly what the big deal was.

Why was Naruto so gloomy about this day in particular? Plenty of people, to be honest, had lost their parents during the Kyuubi's rampage, so it hardly seemed as if that was enough. Was it because of his birthday, because he never had anyone to celebrate with him? But again, Naruto had never shown this sort of angst regarding his orphan status before.

It all came down to Naruto and Kakashi's strange behavior around the missing-nin they'd dealt with. Hayashi had clearly known something about Naruto, something Naruto hadn't wanted Sasuke or her to know. As if on the same page, Sasuke glanced at Sakura, a slight frown on his face.

"If you're sure…" Naruto nodded, grinning – but both his teammates could see the shadow in his smile. Sakura attempted to return the grin.

"All right, then – what do we want to do?" Sasuke shrugged, and Naruto bit his lip.

"I dunno… I've never actually been to the festival before…" Sakura wanted to be surprised at this, but honestly, it seemed to fit well with everything else she knew about Naruto with regard to this day. That he didn't enjoy it was obvious, and that he wouldn't go to a festival he didn't enjoy was equally so.

There was something very wrong with Naruto, Sakura was certain – and she wasn't all that sure she wanted to know what.

* * *

After a stilted discussion that hadn't gone anywhere, the genin of Team 7 realized that none of them had actually visited the Nine-Tails Festival in depth before. Just as Sakura typically just watched a few of the performances and spent most of her time reading, Sasuke admitted that he typically just wandered around eating as much onigiri as he could find. Their inexperience with the festival was compounded by their late arrival – by the time the team began their walk through the festival grounds, where stalls and stages were set up to either side of the street, the sun was already setting, dropping a hazy glow of bloody light over Konoha's revelry.

Sakura had proclaimed an interest in seeing her medic-nin classmate Hinata, who was to perform as part of the Memorial dance. Though Sasuke had little interest in the actual performance, he could admit a sincere desire to pay his respects, and had agreed. Naruto, having no real opinion, had acquiesced, and so towards the riverside stage the genin had made their way.

Sasuke couldn't help but notice that the dark looks often shot by Konoha's civilians towards Naruto were denser and harsher than ever – while normally Sasuke had never seen civilians do more than glare, there were sidelong whispers that fluttered between those who passed Team 7 that spoke of annoyance and even disgust.

"He's here this year… the nerve…"

"What's he doing here? I thought Hokage-sama kept him away?"

"Maybe his teammates brought him… poor dears…"

"Should we say something? No, just look away, he'll pass by soon enough…"

The whispers strung Sasuke's pride – or rather, they reignited his annoyance from earlier, and he glanced at Naruto, who was studiously looking at his own feet. What was it that created such unrest all around Naruto? Was it something terrible the other genin had done? That seemed totally impossible – Naruto was barely a teenager – what could he be responsible for that would turn Konoha's civilians against him in such a way?

And that was the cusp of it, Sasuke found; it was almost entirely the civilians of Konoha who offered Naruto their distaste – the shinobi paid him no more heed than any other genin – other than the rare civilian-born shinobi who presumably took their cues from their families. Sasuke was hard-pressed to think of anything Naruto, or even his family, if they were the reason, might have done to spawn such feelings.

While Sasuke quietly boiled and Naruto withdrew into himself, Sakura had continued to stay above it all, leading their group towards the stage. When they arrived, the sun was just about half down, and the time had come for the performance to start. The crowds around the stage were thick, and it was difficult to get a good place.

"Hey! Boss! Boss, over here! Gramps got me a place in the front earlier, and there's some more space if you want it!" Konohamaru waved at them, pushing his way through the crowd. Naruto grinned at the younger boy, whose guileless face shone in excitement. Sasuke realized that the Academy investment ceremony must have been earlier that day – Konohamaru, having recently turned eight, would be joining this year.

Naruto nodded, "Sure! We'll follow you, all right?" He looked to Sakura questioningly. She shrugged, and Sasuke followed suit. As much as their presence was on whimsy, it would be nice to have a good seat from which to observe the dance.

The three genin followed their younger friend through the crowds, and Sasuke took a mild, vindictive pleasure in using his elbows to push through the tightly packed crowd. The whispers, if anything, had grown more dramatic here.

"What's he doing at the memorial dance? Is he trying to mess everything up?"

"Oh, Hyuuga-sama would be ashamed if he did something to ruin everything…"

"Quiet! Do you want him to hear you?" Sasuke pressed a particularly sharp elbow into the last speaker's ribs – he didn't know if the man would realize that he'd heard the fool speaking up – but it comforted him a tad bit.

Konohamaru, indeed, had found much-superior seats near the front, where folding chairs had been set up. His friends Moegi, a member of the Akimichi clan, and Udon were waiting. Moegi was a short girl with reddish hair tied tightly into two pigtails, while Udon was a rather plain boy with brown hair and glasses – and what Sasuke dearly hoped wasn't a communicable sinus condition of some sort. The boy sniffed as he moved over, revealing the extra three seats the children had managed to save.

As Team 7 pushed their ways into the seats, Naruto kicked his feet impatiently.

"So, are we supposed to do anything? I mean, if it's a memorial and all…" Sasuke shook his head quietly, while Sakura impatiently turned to him with a finger at her lips.

"No! And hush, Naruto – it's starting!"

As the curtain rose, revealing the nine miko shrine maidens who would perform the ceremony, Sasuke relaxed into his seat. He glanced about, noting with some satisfaction that the crowd had turned its attention where it belonged – to the stage and the performers. Naruto himself was watching the performance with widened eyes.

Eyes, Sasuke noted, that no longer held the darkness they'd been filled with all day, but something different.

* * *

Naruto himself watched the ritual dance with entranced eyes. The dancers were dressed in red skirts and white haori which slowly fluttered and billowed in the late evening breeze. The dance began with a ceremonial lighting of the nine torches that surrounded the stage.

In the flickering light, Naruto glimpsed the familiar face of Hyuuga Hinata, his old classmate – her pale eyes were filled with a serenity that overtook the audience as she, and her fellow performers, turned and wheeled slowly. Despite the paced movements, Naruto spotted the intricate footsteps – the way every motion was calculated to create the most aesthetically pleasing vision.

It was almost like fighting, he thought. Every move was full of the same devotion and commitment that his strikes against an enemy were. In the same way that his Thunder God style governed his motions, so did the dancers' movements follow the tale being told.

A tale, Naruto saw, that bespoke an ancient story of shinobi culture – the tale of the great Sage of Six Paths. The Rikudou Sennin, Naruto remembered from one of the few classes at the Academy he'd paid attention to, was the man who had created all ninjutsu – the very shinobi way of life – from the strife and terror that underlay the Time of Troubles. Little was known of the great Sage, but as Naruto instinctively reflected, the details weren't the focus of the dance – but the emotions, instead.

He watched Hinata's hands spin a lantern-laden staff, marking the notions of the arts the Sage had created, and the whipping, turning performers around her, as the dance slowly sped up. They danced through the Sage's battle against the Great Nameless Beast that had terrorized the Elemental Continent, Hinata moving back, away from the terrible beast – no, her fellow performers.

Naruto suddenly realized a strange stirring in his belly – one far different than anything he'd felt before. Rather than fear, or happiness, or even pleasure, a strange sensation like a fire coursed through his veins, and a red, red light overtook his senses. In his mind he saw the battle as if it were before him – the Sage and the Beast, whirling about one another – the Sage now flying through the air, and then dancing across the edges of midnight blades that coursed his way.

Within Naruto, the maniac light that overtook him faded even as the dance slowed, but Naruto's eyes remained closed – he could see, through the pale vision of Hinata's features, the wizened visage of the Sage himself – looking back at him, calling him something he couldn't quite hear.

And then he could.

"_**Kurama**_."

* * *

As Hinata's performance ended, Sakura was practically one of the first to stand, her hands together in rapturous applause – when Hinata had told her that she danced, Sakura had never expected such aplomb! Her friend was so quiet and withdrawn that sometimes Sakura forgot that the shinobi of the Hyuuga clan, traditional and powerful as they were, were great patrons of the arts. Hinata, her cheeks aflame, bowed deeply along with her fellow performers.

Sakura looked at her teammates, ready to urge them forward to greet and congratulate their old classmate. Sasuke nodded back, his eyebrows raise in surprise – but Naruto was quiet.

In fact, Naruto's eyes were closed, his mouth thinned in a troubled line – and he almost trembled with a strange emotion. Sakura leaned forward to place her hand on his shoulder – and his eyes then snapped open.

"Naruto, are you all right?" Naruto, his breath coming in short pants and his eyes dilated, nodded, but Sakura was (obviously) unconvinced.

"No, really, Naruto, what happened?" Naruto shook his head.

"It's… uh… it's nothing. Just had a weird thought. Y'know, dancing is pretty cool! Hinata-chan did really good down there!" Naruto's grin didn't fool his teammates for a moment, and they exchanged glances – but Naruto was already on his feet, and had grabbed Konohamaru by the shoulder.

"Hey, come on, guys! Let's go congratulate Hinata-chan!" Naruto was off like a shot, the three younger children after him shouting before Sakura and Sasuke knew it. As they followed slowly, Sakura turned to Sasuke.

"What was that all about?" Sasuke merely shrugged. Sakura frowned.

"It was… almost like he was having a weird dream, right? But he wasn't asleep – I mean, I don't think he was?" Sasuke shook his head slightly.

"He'll tell us when he means to – pushing him will get us nowhere." Sakura nodded, unconvinced, and the two made their way after their companions.

Naruto and the youngsters had already rendezvoused with not only Hinata, but a small crowd of their old classmates, including Hinata's teammates, Team 10, and Gai's students – with the notable exception of Hinata's cousin Neji. Sakura blinked slightly at the boy's absence – it was certainly odd that he was missing, particularly with even his teammates present. Perhaps he was busy?

Hinata was blushing deeply under the weight of congratulations from all around. "That was AWESOME, Hinata-chan! I didn't know you could dance like that!" Naruto's excitement was audible even over the crowd, and Shikamaru replied with a drawl.

"Calm down, Naruto – no need to be so troublesome. None of us really knew, but yeah, that was something." Shikamaru graced Hinata with a small smile. Chouji merely grinned, while Ino snorted.

"Not ALL of us are so lazy we ignore everything about our classmates, Shikamaru – Hinata-san was one of the understudies last year, right? And you told us during kunoichi classes… I'm sure Forehead remembers – speak of the devil!" Ino grinned a partially playful, partially challenging grin at her old friend and rival. Sakura smirked back.

"Surprised you didn't sniff me out, Piggy! Hey, Hinata-san, that was wonderful! You didn't tell me you were THAT good!" Sakura gave Hinata a genuine smile that the Hyuuga heiress returned shyly. Sasuke nodded his own congratulations, clearly feeling too awkward in the crowded gathering.

As the crowd died away slightly, the entire group began to make its way away from the crowd, and as she discussed the possibility of heading to a dinner with the whole group with Hinata, Ino, and Tenten, the earlier episode with Naruto slowly slipped from Sakura's mind.

* * *

As the genin and the three Academy students made their way back to town, Sasuke noticed Konohamaru yanking on Naruto's pant leg.

"Boss, hey – that girl's in the same class as Moegi and Udon and me!" Sasuke and Naruto both looked.

Their gaze was met by that of a tall, pale man with long dark hair and pristine white robes topped with one of simple darker cloth. His stern face's most stand-out feature was a pair of pale, pupil-less eyes. The same eyes Hinata had.

Standing to his right with an, if anything, more rigid posture; was a waifish girl likely around the same age as Konohamaru and his friends. With the same pale skin and eyes, the same dark hair, and a similar robe, she couldn't have been anything but the older man's daughter – and, Sasuke realized instantly, Hinata's sister.

"Hinata." As their group stopped, Hinata stepped forward, her face totally devoid of color.

"O-otou-sama. I… I… I have j-just completed the riverside d-d-dance…" She bowed deeply. Hyuuga Hiashi, as the man must have been, stepped forward along with his younger daughter, and nodded gravely.

"Your sister and I watched your performance. It was quite satisfactory." Hinata's face regained a little color. Sasuke watched Kiba, standing slightly behind Hinata, grit his teeth – but both Sakura and Kiba's teammate Shino shook their heads at him, and the latter placed a hand on the Inuzuka genin's shoulder.

"I… I th-thank you, Otou-sama. W-will I be required home for s-supper?" Sasuke saw Hiashi turn his head minutely, taking in the assortment of individuals around Hinata, and saw the man's eyes narrow almost imperceptibly at Naruto – whether in annoyance or mere recognition Sasuke wasn't certain.

"You will. The Elders have professed a desire to have a ritual meal. Would you be amenable?" Sasuke could practically feel the unspoken command, as could Hinata herself. With a slight wince, the girl nodded.

"I… I would, of course, Ot-ot-otou-sama. I shall be home directly." With a nod, Hiashi turned. Sasuke glimpsed a grin on Naruto's face for a moment before his teammate nudged Konohamaru, whispering something in the younger boy's ear. Konohamaru grinned.

"Seeya tomorrow in class, Hanabi-chan!" Konohamaru yelled. The younger girl froze, almost tripping. She regained her balance and threw a glance of annoyance at Konohamaru, which the boy returned with a look of triumph. Hiashi, though, simply nodded at Konohamaru – and at Naruto.

"Indeed. Good evening, Honored Grandson… Good evening, Uzumaki-san." With a turn, Hiashi walked away, his robes billowing behind him. As they went, Naruto gritted his teeth slightly.

"Man, I can't tell if that guy was trying to make fun of me or what…" Hinata shook her head.

"N-no, Naruto-kun – father would n-never do something like that. He would never m-make fun of you…" Sasuke privately agreed, though more with the part regarding "fun" than anything else. Kiba growled.

"Aw, man, does that mean you can't come to dinner? That sucks!" Naruto echoed the exclamation, while Lee simply made a 'thumbs-up' pose.

"No worries, Hinata-san! We shall all be able to have a grand dinner together on another occasion! Instead, simply take this opportunity to enjoy your evening with your honored family, including my inestimable teammate, wherever the ever-youthful Neji has gotten to!" Hinata simply blinked in confusion at Lee, her lips parting into a tiny smile. As the group said their farewells to Hinata, they turned back to one another.

"So, what's the plan? Should we still have a big dinner thing, even without Hinata?" Ino asked, twirling her finger through her hair. Sasuke was grateful that the girl hadn't leapt at him, despite the many glances she'd thrown his way. He could only assume that, like Kakashi, her teacher had managed to find some way to motivate her away from her earlier attitude. Tenten shrugged.

"It's sad that Hinata-san can't come, but I don't see why we can't go…" But Sasuke tuned out the conversation then as he noticed something else.

Across the street from the group, a small group of men stood – civilians, Sasuke was certain, based on their posture. The men had their eyes locked on the genin – and more specifically, Sasuke noticed, on Naruto.

Naruto himself was not unaware of the inebriated men, nor of their notice, Sasuke realized. He continued to chatter with Kiba, Chouji, and Konohamaru's little band aimlessly – but sharp blue eyes met Sasuke's over the top of Udon's head, confirming that he'd seen them as well.

Sasuke wondered who the men were, but rapidly realized that he was about to find out – apparently having gathered the requisite courage, the drunkards crossed the street, quickly arriving behind Naruto. One reached out and laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Hey… brat… what're you doing here? Thought the Hokage'd talked to you 'bout messing around durin' the fest'val…" The man's slurred words caught the attention of the entire group of genin, who turned. Regardless of age, Sasuke was satisfied to note that the sea of forehead protectors that shone in the street lanterns' light put a note of fear in the drunks' voices. Rather than Naruto, it was Kiba who responded.

"He's hanging out at the festival, same as the rest of us. Same as you drunk bastards too – what's it to ya?" Kiba's voice was rough, but also confused. Sasuke glanced quickly across his comrades, determining that Naruto was the only one who seemed to know what was going on. Naruto's eyes were resigned – almost sad. The drunk waved a hand.

"Hey, nothing, Inuzuka-san. Just… this brat… I mean, y'know… he's not supposed to…" The man was clearly having trouble articulating what exactly was wrong with Naruto's presence – a shame, Sasuke thought, since both he and Sakura, he saw, were rapidly becoming VERY annoyed with the question of why exactly this day was Naruto's personal bane.

Kiba seemed riled up, in the meanwhile. "Not supposed to what, huh?" The other genin echoed Kiba's annoyed exclamation.

Lee grinned. "Good fellow, why not explain your reasoning as to why the youthful Naruto should not be present at this most excellent of festivals? I am certain that should you offer us your considerations, we would be most happy to alleviate your concerns!" Sasuke was momentarily struck by Lee's sheer unwillingness to concede to reality. In the meanwhile, Naruto spoke quietly.

"No, it's all right. I'll just… go. Have fun, guys." Ignoring the other genins' exclamations, Naruto turned and began walking – then jogging – and by the time he was halfway down the block, he was sprinting, followed by his friends' protests.

Sasuke, stunned, turned back to the hapless drunk, who was looking at Naruto's retreating back with a mix of satisfaction and confusion. Sasuke's eyes flashed with anger – and he saw the same fury reflected in his friends' faces.

"You'd better have a damned good explanation for this…"

* * *

The day's many jibes and torments flooding back upon him, Naruto allowed the tears to flow freely from his eyes as he ran.

He ran from the sounds of the villagers' whispers at his presence. He ran from the hatred in their glares. He ran from the pain in the eyes of even the most tolerant shinobi when they looked at Naruto and saw their friends, their brothers, their comrades slain by the beast within him

Naruto ran from the loneliness his life had been, and from the fresh pains of his friends – friends he knew he didn't deserve, for all the secrets he kept from them. He imagined Sakura's betrayed face; the cold indifference in Sasuke's eyes, and ran from them.

Naruto ran so far and so fast he hardly knew where he was running, letting the branches whip past his face and the leaves shudder in his wake. The stone beneath his shoes pattered with his footsteps as he went, and his own harsh, ragged breath filled his ears.

Naruto ran until he stood atop the Hokage Monument, atop the Yondaime's very head, and looked out at the glimmering lights of Konoha.

"So this is what you did it for, huh?" Naruto quietly said, sitting on his hero's head. Spreading across the clearing in the midst of the wild woods around it was Konoha, a beautiful sea of sparkling lights, the nighttime lanterns lit in every home and shop, and across the street. The sun was gone and the moon shone upon Konoha with its own pearlescent light.

If he were Hokage, Naruto realized, this was what he would have to protect. Hell, he was a ninja of Konoha now, and this WAS what he fought to protect. Every bandit that fell at his hand, every missing-nin he hunted, and every enemy he faced was for Konoha – not just the concept, but for this – the very buildings and people that lay before him.

It was for that Konoha that the Yondaime had sacrificed his life – and Naruto's own, in a way.

Naruto, for the first time, felt the great burden of the beast he bore within himself. In thirteen years of life, he hadn't once felt a hint of the terrible monster's presence in his body – yet now, Naruto realized the truth that set him apart from his friends and comrades.

Naruto was a living sacrifice. He had already given his life to protect Konoha, in a very real way that none of his friends could ever imagine – in a way even the Hokage himself couldn't imagine. He wondered for a moment whether the Yondaime had known of the terrible burden he would be placing upon the boy he was sacrificing – and whether he had cared.

"Did you hesitate?" Naruto asked. "Did you wait even for a second? Did you think about what it would mean for me – or did you only think of Konoha?"

The worst part, Naruto realized, was that he didn't know which would be better – for the great Yondaime Hokage to have thought even for an instant about the infant life he was sacrificing – or for the man to have done so for Konoha, with his act being the only one possible at the time.

Was it better, Naruto wondered, to be a sacrifice, mourned and lost, or a warrior from birth, his soul entrusted to protect the world from the greatest of the demon lords as the only option – the only hope?

It was much the same question as Kakashi had asked so many times, Naruto realized.

'_What does it mean to be a ninja_?' Was a ninja to be mourned – a tragic figure in the shadow, giving up their life so that others might not have to – or a warrior to be honored?

And with that, Naruto clenched his fist and looked out towards Konoha. No, Naruto decided. He wouldn't be some mere sacrifice. He heard the tentative footsteps behind himself before he heard the voices.

"Naruto?" Sakura called out hesitatingly. Naruto could hear Sasuke there as well, quiet, but attentive. His teammates stepped up behind him.

Sasuke spoke then. "It really is a beautiful place, even for all the dark things that happen there." Naruto nodded, watching the people living their lives, under the aegis of protection he provided them with.

"I have something to tell you guys." His teammates turned towards him, but Naruto kept looking out towards Konoha, his gaze distant.

"I was born on this day, thirteen years ago." Sakura and Sasuke nodded, and Sakura supplied a clarification.

"The day the Kyuubi attacked?" Naruto nodded.

"The Kyuubi… we all learned about it… it's the greatest of the tailed beasts, the demon lords that came from the Great Nameless… That the Yondaime beat it…" Sasuke nodded.

"His greatest achievement – nobody had ever even heard of a demon being slain before – let alone a demon lord of that caliber…" Naruto nodded, the words spilling from his mouth.

"Not even one. No demon had ever been slain… Except the Kyuubi. Only…" Sakura's hands lifted to her mouth as the answer came.

"No…" Naruto nodded.

"Yes. It was a lie. The Kyuubi… it was a force of nature. Something like that… can't be killed. Only contained…" Sasuke realized it then, Naruto could see the shock in his eyes.

"A seal…" Naruto nodded.

"Sealed – but something like that couldn't be sealed away in a scroll, or in a tag – it needed something stronger – something flexible, but with strength of its own to hold the beast within…"

"A newborn child." A new voice cracked like a whip, and all three genin spun to face their instructor. Kakashi's face bore a serious mood they'd rarely seen.

"Naruto… the Kyuubi's… what, trapped inside of him?" Sakura's voice rose almost into a hysterical cry. Kakashi nodded, and Naruto winced. Sakura's eyes widened, and there was a strange anger inside.

"How could he?! HOW?!" Naruto looked down, afraid of his. His eyes watered, but Sakura grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him close, pushing the air from his lungs. He was too stunned to react for a moment as Sakura's enraged voice rang out.

"The Yondaime… we were always told what a hero he was – but he wasn't, not really – he, what, took an orphaned baby, and stuck a demon inside?!" Kakashi's visible eye sparked with bitterness.

"I swear to you, Sakura, there was more to it than that. The Yondaime… he struggled. More than you could ever know, he struggled with this – not with the thought of sealing the beast away, but with trying to find a way – any way – to do so without needing to use a newborn."

"But he had no choice…" Sasuke spoke at last, slowly. His teammates turned to him, and he looked back at them. His face was pale and his eyes dark pools. "He was responsible for the whole village, and yet he tried to find another way – but when he had no choice, he did what he must."

Al four ninja remained silent for a time, Sakura's arms still wrapped around Naruto, and the confused tears coursing from Naruto's eyes. The boy spoke at last, with a combination of confusion and fear.

"So… is this it, then? I mean, I understand if you don't -"

The blow came as a sudden shock, knocking Naruto from Sakura's grasp to the floor. Naruto looked up, his eyes swimming in astonishment. Sasuke stood over him, his eyes glinting.

"'Is this it?' Who are you, and what did you do with the Uzumaki Naruto we've fought alongside all this time?" Sakura, her fists balled, nodded in agreement.

"Yeah – Naruto, you're not the Kyuubi – anyone with even the slightest knowledge of either sealing or you would know it, and we've got both. You're our teammate, Naruto – and our friend."

Naruto shuddered on the ground, and his face was pale. The three genin remained where they were, Sasuke standing over his blonde teammate, passion he'd rarely felt burning in his mind. Sakura stood next to him, her own eyes filled with compassion and trust. Naruto sat before them, his eyes dancing with tears of joy.

"You guys…" Naruto's voice was hoarse and raw. Sasuke leaned down and helped Naruto to his feet.

"So, no more talk about this being the end, huh?" Sasuke said, his mouth twisted into a smirk. Naruto nodded, swiping his sleeve across his eyes.

"Hell no! We're Team 7! And for us, there IS no end!" Sakura smiled at the two.

"… I've never had reason to be so proud before in my life."

The three genin spun to their teacher, just remembering his presence. Kakashi's visible eye was a storm of emotion, but his voice remained level.

"You're all growing faster than I know how to keep up. Damn kids." Kakashi's mock groan lifted the tense air that had suffused the group, and the three genin laughed, the catharsis freeing their hearts. Naruto in particular laughed so hard he almost choked on his own spittle. Finally, Kakashi, thumping Naruto on the back to get him breathing again, spoke.

"Here, Naruto. I was meaning to give this to you earlier today, but we got busy with the mission. Happy Birthday." He handed Naruto a small, rectangular package, shaped slightly like a book. Naruto snorted.

"Sensei, I swear, if this is your pervy book -"

But it wasn't. Instead, the paper, torn open, revealed a photo frame with a picture inside. The picture was of a lovely woman with long, deep-red hair parted to the side with a simple clip. The woman's eyes were a deep violet color, and her face had a slightly rounded shape that Naruto recognized instantly – it was a shape he saw in the mirror every day. The woman's lips were shaped like Naruto's own as well, and there was something of her nose that was familiar too – and Naruto felt his vision blurring.

He'd cried more on that day than he ever had before, even as a child, yet Naruto couldn't restrain himself this last time as he choked out the single word. "Mother?"

Kakashi nodded slowly, a sense of resigned sadness in his eye. "I got word from Hokage-sama that I could tell you right after leaving you guys. I didn't expect… all the rest of what happened." Naruto, still staring at the picture, tried to say something, but instead hiccupped. Sakura, standing at his shoulder, rubbed his back, while Sasuke looked up at Kakashi with a serious gaze.

"What do you know about her?" Kakashi's eye closed for a long moment.

"I… knew her well. Naruto's father as well, but their identities have remained an S-ranked state secret, just like the fact that Naruto is the Kyuubi's jailor. The Hokage was reluctant, but he agreed that Naruto could probably protect himself at least from the consequences of people potentially finding out who his mother was."

Sakura shrewdly retorted, "So he can't know who his father is, then? It would be dangerous or something?" Kakashi nodded gravely.

"I promise you, Naruto, you'll know the moment I have clearance. In the meanwhile…" Naruto nodded.

"Tell me about her." Kakashi sighed wistfully.

"Her name was Uzumaki Kushina – she was a girl from Whirlpool Village who moved to Konoha as a child, and attended the Academy. She was… well, there are a lot of things I could say about her, but I suppose the best word would be fiery. She was hot-tempered, proud, and fierce. She was a powerful shinobi – an elite jounin by the time of her death, and one of Konoha's best." His students were sitting around him now, listening attentively.

"Kushina was… a good friend. I knew her well – she was almost like an elder sister. She comforted me when my best friend died. She was the one who convinced me to try out for the ANBU Corps instead of drinking myself senseless. She always looked out for people…" Kakashi smiled and lapsed into silence. Naruto and his teammates leaned forward – but Kakashi just grinned as his stomach grumbled.

The three genin face-planted in annoyance. Kakashi chuckled. "It's getting late. How about we discuss Kushina-san a little further over dinner?" Naruto hopped up.

"Your treat?!" Sakura and Sasuke looked at him as well.

"That's awfully generous of you, Sensei…"

"Yes. We'll be certain not to take too much advantage of your kind offer."

* * *

As the three genin dashed off, Kakashi thought about protesting, but instead just sighed.

"Those damned kids." Kakashi waited a moment, and then withdrew from his pouch a seal tag with a spiral on it, a unique three-pronged kunai, and an incense stick. Laying the former two on the ground and settling the incense in the crook of the kunai, Kakashi lit the stick. As the sweet-smelling smoke rose towards the sky, Kakashi stared at the glowing tip.

"_He's grown up into a spectacular boy, Sensei, Kushina-nee-san. And I swear to you both – I'll be there to make sure he becomes a spectacular young man._"

Leaving his little shrine atop his teacher's head, Kakashi began the slow trek down the mountain.

* * *

**Technique Library**: Katon: Taiyou Ten no Jutsu (Solar Burst Technique): A B-ranked Fire ninjutsu, this technique focuses a large amount of fire chakra loosely before exploding it in a light-based pulse all around the user. While useable as a signaling flare, its most valuable purpose is to blind opponents, leaving them unable to see for several seconds as their eyesight readjusts. While incredibly effective, the sudden shock this technique presents to its user's chakra system and the large amount of chakra it uses are both reasons that this technique isn't as ubiquitous as one might expect it to be.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

Firstly, I apologize for the wait for this chapter – my real-world schedule has picked up, meaning I have less time for writing – still, I'm hopeful of getting a chapter out per week – thus, you should expect my next chapter on the following Sunday!

This chapter, I'll admit, was something of a bait-and-switch, and I hope it didn't annoy people too much. I'll admit that part of me really wanted to have an action sequence; given how dramatic and emotional the remainder of the chapter was going to end up.

Speaking of the emotional impact of this chapter, it's important to note – the emotions drawn up by things that happened this chapter are going to rebound for a long time to come – I'm not really one for having emotional problems vanish in a finger-snap after being confronted once – the team's emotions are a constant source of both strength and weakness to them, and will continue to be throughout the story.

Naruto being the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki is an issue that will come back over and over again – as will his teammates' faith in him (and his faith in his teammates). The question of Naruto's feelings towards his parents, and his wanting to know more about them will come back as well – this is just the introduction to a story arc I've been hinting at for several chapters now, which the more astute amongst you probably have caught already.

Still, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter despite it being so mired in drama rather than action – and for those clamoring for a little action, stay tuned for next chapter!

A few responses to selected reviews:

_theIrishWriter_: Something you mentioned in your review is going to be important to someone later on – I shan't say whom or what, but you might catch a glimpse if you read that chapter again. A hint is to pay attention to whose point of view is being used when! Also, yes. Early Neji is a dick.

_zolydck_: Seems like you got your wish this chapter – regarding the others, Naruto's revealing his status to them will take a little longer – but I am trying to focus on the links between ALL the genin as much as possible. Trust me; they'll have a lot more interaction with each other. Seals are going to be a major part of Naruto's skillset, since they seem, in canon, to be vastly underutilized, like you said.

_AntiCreator_: Thank you for the recommendation, and really, to anyone – feel free to recommend stories to me! I'm always looking for new things to read!

_QE1_: This is going to make me sound like a dick… but I can't say. All I can tell you is that the chuunin exams will superficially look a lot like canon at the beginning.

_Sagemodeman_: Overall, my real goal with regards to each character is to make them entirely recognizable – but nonetheless focus very heavily on their growth as people. Thus, I'm glad that it seemed to be working!

_HayleyComet_: Thanks! I do understand what you mean – I'm of the firm opinion that any story that writes with the characters firmly "in character" just hasn't bothered changing enough or doing enough with the characters. People change, given new or different stimuli – so it's important, in my opinion, that they be given a chance to do so.

Thank you all for reading; please review if you have the chance!

- The Captain


	12. Chapter 12: On the High Seas

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: September 7, 2014 (Updated September 14)

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 12: On the High Seas**

_Wherein Naruto meets a librarian and the team travels to a land under siege._

* * *

By the time Kakashi arrived at the team's customary training field, the sun had risen above the forests and was peering with an orange-eyed gaze upon Konoha. Sakura and Sasuke were engaging in light training while Naruto did push-ups on the nearby river, allowing his chakra to keep him afloat. All three anxiously awaited their instructor's arrival – after the previous day's emotional conclusion, the genin were looking forward to returning to their routine.

As Kakashi blurred into view, Naruto was the first to notice, clicking his tongue loudly. His comrades hopped away from one another, Sakura nursing a sore shoulder and Sasuke bearing signs of a blow to the face.

"Yo. So, ready to get back to business?" Kakashi waved a hand nonchalantly, and Naruto agreed. Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a glance, and the pink-haired medic-nin spoke first.

"Actually, sensei… we were thinking that we had a couple questions to ask… about the stuff we learned yesterday." Naruto winced slightly, but at Sasuke's encouraging glance, took a deep breath. Sakura continued, as Kakashi crossed his arms.

"First of all, was all that about Naruto having a bloodline just… a way of masking the… other issue?" Kakashi tilted his head slightly.

"Pretty good question – and no. The Uzumaki have had a… well, bloodline isn't actually the right answer, but it's a good way of thinking of it. They've a tendency towards an extremely strong life force, which has many effects." Kakashi could see that his students were confused, and elaborated.

"Remember how chakra is a combination of physical and mental energy? The physical portion of that energy is, essentially, life force. Naruto's family has borne the traits of having an immensely strong life force – they heal quickly, live very long lives, are essentially immune to diseases and poisons of most kinds, and recover incredibly quickly from exhaustion of either the physical or chakra-related variety." Sasuke snapped his fingers.

"So THAT's why Naruto's always dragging me home from…" He blushed slightly, and Sakura snorted. Kakashi shrugged.

"Probably. Or you're a lightweight – I'd believe either." Ignoring Sasuke's scowl, he continued. "Since seals are basically a manifestation of their user's will created through the component symbols, the Uzumaki chakra is naturally very well-suited to Fuinjutsu – as Naruto has found out."

The genin all nodded – Naruto's family history certainly explained a lot. Sasuke asked his own question to Naruto rather than Kakashi. "Other than your chakra control being terrible, has the Kyuubi's presence actually affected you at all, then?"

Naruto twisted his mouth, thinking. "I… don't really know. I don't think so – I mean, maybe it boosted what was already there a little – I'm sure the other Uzumaki clan members didn't heal quite as fast as me, or have quite as much chakra…" He continued at Kakashi's affirmative nod. "… But other than that, not really."

Sakura gave a helpless shrug. "So we really don't know anything – taking something of that sort of power and sticking into Naruto, and as far as we can tell, it doesn't do… anything? There's got to be more to it than that."

Sasuke sighed, but Naruto frowned slightly. "Well, there was one thing. Yesterday, at the festival – when Hinata and the other shrine maidens were doing that dance, I felt… saw? I dunno, some sort of vision. I think it might have been the Kyuubi's memory or something. It was all too hazy to recall."

Kakashi tensed slightly, but relaxed when Naruto confirmed that he didn't really know what that had all been about. "Hmm… that's certainly something to keep track of. Regardless, Naruto, let us know if it happens again – or if anything else that you think might be associated with the Kyuubi happens. We'll do what we can, then, to find out more."

Sakura hesitantly voiced a thought. "Do we really want to find out more, though? The Kyuubi… it wasn't really the sort of thing that could be controlled or stopped."

Sasuke smirked. "Do you really think we can leave a mystery this big untouched? The Kyuubi means power, and more than that, it's a link to everything about Naruto's past that we don't know about."

Kakashi frowned at him. "Don't go messing with things you can't control, Sasuke – the Kyuubi may mean power – but it also means trouble. We'll handle that when the time comes. Also, that reminds me of something important."

The genin listened closely as Kakashi leaned forward. "Don't go looking any deeper into Naruto's past. The safeguards that have been put in place are there for a good reason, and we need to be careful to avoid unleashing a hornet's nest graver than you can possibly imagine. Promise me – all three of you – promise that you won't go digging into this until I say it's all right."

There was a chorus of groans, most of all from Naruto, who had planned, in fact, to send clones later that very morning to begin investigating Uzumaki Kushina's life and history. Still, Kakashi hadn't led them astray before, and his students regretfully all agreed that they wouldn't go poking their noses any further into Naruto's past than Kakashi let them.

Kakashi grinned again under his mask. "All right then, my cute little students – as Gai would say," he drew amusement from his students' horrified twitch, "now, I'd say it's time for us to decide what to do next!"

The genin paused and thought for a moment. Naruto spoke first. "We could just train for a few days – I mean, getting stronger's never a bad idea." Sakura snorted.

"You're just saying that because you don't want to do any more D-ranks. We still have to do three, remember? I say we do one and get it over with – they don't take all day, after all. You'll get your training." Naruto groaned, but Sasuke shook his head.

"I say we take another C-rank mission. The last one barely even counted, and I'm itching to try a little more of what I've learnt." Naruto nodded enthusiastically in agreement, while Sakura sighed. Kakashi chuckled.

"Your time in the capital has ruined you, I see – that mission to pick up Hayashi was actually about as standard as C-ranked missions get, Sasuke. Taking another one hardly guarantees any likelihood of trouble." Sasuke crossed his arms impatiently at this response.

Naruto, though, bounded slightly on his tiptoes. "Right, right – so how about we take the most dangerous, messy C-rank mission we can find? Sensei, you're an Elite Jounin – you could handle a mission like that with your eyes closed! And we're about as badass as genin get – let's find a mission headed somewhere totally messed up, and kick the SHIT out of it!"

Sasuke smirked at this, while Sakura groaned. "You guys are so macho it hurts. Fine, fine – I guess it couldn't hurt to practice my mystical palm technique when you guys go ahead and get your arms chopped off or whatever." Naruto cheered, while Kakashi suppressed a smile.

"Settled, then. Let's go find the nastiest C-ranked mission in the business – I'm sure it still won't include anything worse than some rabid squirrels."

* * *

"Request refused?! What the hell, Oji-sama?!"

The Hokage stared sternly from under the brim of his hat at Naruto. "Indoor voice, Naruto – you're disturbing the other teams."

Naruto's extremely vocal show of outrage had drawn a bit of attention from the other teams obtaining their own mission, and Kakashi placed a hand on his student's shoulder. Though quieter, both Sasuke and Sakura were equally unhappy.

Sakura bowed stiffly. "With the greatest respect, Hokage-sama, our team has the best record of any genin team since the war – we're the only genin team to have completed not one, but two B-ranked missions. We've brought in three missing-nin, one B-ranked in his own right, and Naruto's… special. So why?"

The Hokage turned his eyes to the girl, and seeing her quail slightly at her commander-in-chief's notice, he softened his visage. "In fact, Sakura-san, it is very much the last thing you mention that causes me to refuse your request for a heavy combat mission. Tell me – how do you know of Naruto's… condition?"

Naruto blushed. "I… told them yesterday. It was a weird day."

The Hokage nodded sternly. "So I hear from my grandson. You were involved in threatening civilians, trespassed on the Hokage Monument, revealed an S-ranked secret… and littered." The genin collectively winced more and more until the last charge – at which point they were simply confused.

"Ah… the littering was me…" Kakashi raised a hand sheepishly, leaving his team to slump in an annoyed furor. Naruto was the first to snap back.

"Hey, but… Oji-sama – those civilians were being total jerks! And we didn't DO anything to the Monument… this time… and I'm the one that secret's about!" He spoke faster and faster until the Hokage raised a hand for silence.

"Naruto, you know as well as I do that merely because the civilians are not behaving appropriately is no reason for ninja to behave in a similarly inappropriate manner – I hold you all to a higher standard, in fact, because of your training and position. Trespassing on the Monument is an infraction at worst, but you, in particular, should have known better, having been reprimanded for it only a few months back." At this point, he leaned over his desk, his voice harshening slightly.

"As for the secret… it is not kept that way merely for your convenience, Naruto. The secret is such because we wish to keep it from potential spies, from those who would be unable to protect it if captured by our enemies, and more. Yes, it is about you, but in the future, should you wish to reveal it, you MUST consult with me – or at least with Nara Shikaku-san or the ANBU Commander, before doing so. This time, I will overlook your misconduct – but the least I can do is place you on a mission less… weighty… than the one you desire. Do you understand?"

Naruto grumbled slightly, while his teammates looked at their feet ashamedly. The Hokage repeated himself, and Naruto sighed.

"Yes, Oji-sama. I understand. You're right… all right, give us the crappy mission."

Sasuke, though, quirked an eyebrow at this. "Wait, but the villagers – they seem to know. Wouldn't that negate any benefit of keeping things secret?"

The Hokage sighed. "You are correct, in a manner of speaking. Thanks to my own actions, as well as those of certain others who will go unnamed, the truth was disseminated to a certain extent throughout the village. However, you may also have noticed that not a one amongst the villagers has actually managed to spread the word regarding the secret – neither to their children, in your generation; or to new arrivals in town."

The genin all nodded, and the Hokage's old face cracked into a crafty smirk. "This is thanks to a powerful behavioral seal set inscribed along Konoha's wall – 'tis subtle, but it keeps those weak-minded enough to fall under its sway from ever actually mentioning the secret aloud, or writing it down. It does not have the power to affect the shinobi – at least, most of them – but it has done its job well for thirteen years. And thus, it is all the more important that you, Naruto, do not spread word of the secret without approval!"

Naruto was suitably chastened, but much more, he was awed by the potential complexity and power of such a seal. Jiraiya, he realized, must have been its creator; or perhaps the Hokage himself. Nobody else he'd heard of could have the expertise or power. He would have to ask one or both of them how it worked.

The Hokage, in the meanwhile, smiled. "And now, for your mission. Just because I won't give you the goriest mission in the pile doesn't mean I'll leave you adrift, Naruto." He sorted through the mission scrolls. "Aha, here's one. Team 7, I hereby assign you to mission C-35054, requested by Shiranaya Hito, a merchant of Port Wakasu. It's labelled as an escort mission. Think you'll be able to handle it?"

Naruto managed a slight smile and a thumbs-up, while Sakura nodded. Kakashi took the scroll from the Hokage, and the team bowed to the Hokage.

"Of course we can handle it! We'll see you when we get back, Oji-sama!" Naruto bounded out of the door, followed by his team, leaving the Hokage to sigh quietly.

'_The die is cast… let's see how it rolls._'

* * *

Soon after stepping out of the door, Kakashi had broken open the seal on the scroll, reading through it quickly. At first, his face was placid, but soon his students could detect a slight wariness. In turn, the smiles lowered from their faces as Kakashi looked up.

"Hmm… shouldn't take all too long, but it does take us to the coastline. Naruto, are those mission-supply scrolls you were coming up with done yet?"

Naruto nodded. He had created a set of scrolls with storage seals marked for each piece of equipment each team member would need to bring, along with special storage seals which could hold water, as the team might need. All in all, Naruto was confident that the scrolls, apportioned to each teammate, would eliminate the need to carry bulky backpacks or extra weight entirely.

Sakura and Sasuke looked equally pleased at the thought of not having to carry heavy kits for days on end, and Kakashi nodded. "Sounds like a plan, then. Each of you, get a scroll from Naruto's apartment, fill it with the equipment you'll need for… two weeks… and bring it to the east gate in an hour."

As their teacher disappeared in a blur, Naruto turned to his teammates with a frown. "Something about this mission seem a little fishy to you?" Sakura looked confused, but Sasuke nodded, a serious look in his eye.

"The Hokage seemed almost TOO nonchalant about it. And Kakashi-sensei looked downright worried. Think there's something going on?" Naruto nodded, biting his lip.

"I've already packed my scroll – I brought the others this morning, since they don't really take up that much space, and I was hoping we'd either be training or going out on a mission." His teammates threw him a skeptical look, which Naruto only grinned sheepishly at. Naruto's tendency to treat his sealing materials and projects like his children was well-known to them. He handed each of his teammates a mid-sized scroll, about a foot and a half long and about two inches thick when rolled up, held shut by a fine wooden lock Naruto had glued to each scroll for this very purpose.

Sasuke smirked slightly at his, wound around a dark blue central dowel, while Sakura frowned at her own. "It just had to be pink, huh?"

Naruto smirked. "Hey, got to get my kicks somehow! But seriously, guys – go get your stuff. I'm going to drop by the library to check up on this port… Wakasu? That sounds about right. I'll check it out and meet you guys at the gates."

As Naruto prepared to sprint off, Sakura raised a hand. "Naruto, try the Archives instead of the library – one of the archivists should be able to help you out, and you're likely to get the dirty details that the library won't have."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. "Won't he be barred, since he's a genin?" Sakura sighed at her teammates' cluelessness.

"Didn't you guys – never mind. No, we're barred from actually going into the archive stacks by ourselves – we can still ask the archivists for help."

Naruto grinned and threw her a thumbs-up. "Sure! I'll head over there right now! Meet you guys at the gate – I'll let you know what I find out!"

* * *

The Archives were situated in a monolithic building that looked for all the world like a block of stone, deep within the bowels of Konoha's administrative district. Naruto would have missed it if he hadn't known what he was looking for already.

Though Naruto had often visited the Shinobi Library, which contained all manner of basic information and texts, the Archives were something different – they contained up-to-date information on an exhaustive list of matters – anything from crop yields, tax income data, population estimates, shipping records, political reports and council meeting minutes, and so on – from every nation Konoha could request such information from or could secretively obtain information about.

This enormous bank of information provided Konoha's shinobi with a powerful advantage, and had proven to be one of the village's greatest assets during the Third Shinobi War, during which it had only been a fledgling entity. Nonetheless, the Archives' talented cryptanalysis teams, think tanks, and logistical operations control squads had done yeoman's work in allowing Konoha to fend off the (at the time) much-larger forces mustered by Iwa and its allies.

Naruto was almost nervous as he pushed through the wide metal doors marked with the bold leaf emblem – he knew that he had every right to be here, but the Archives were like the library multiplied exponentially – a place almost sacredly devoted to quietness and careful thinking – both things Naruto was only beginning to grasp.

Inside, Naruto approached the information desk, where a bored young woman sat. Her frizzy dirty-blonde hair, pulled back in a loose ponytail, and strange, round-framed, cloudy glasses identified her to Naruto as an academic as much as her long white lab coat. The girl looked up at Naruto.

"Hello – Konoha Shinobi Archives… oh, you're a genin. I see – need some help finding something?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah; the name's Uzumaki Naruto – uh, genin of Team 7, under Elite Jounin Hatake Kakashi. I needed some help with some information about a mission."

The girl clucked softly, closing the book she'd been reading. "Huh… I didn't think they gave genin anything complicated enough to need Archive information… Shiho, by the way."

As she pushed herself out of her chair, Naruto noted the absence of a chuunin vest. "You're just a genin too – how come you're working in the Archives? Thought that wasn't allowed?"

Shiho shrugged as she unlocked the door further into the Archives, motioning at Naruto to follow her. "One of my teammates got injured too badly to stay a shinobi and the other passed the last chuunin exam; I could have gotten a couple newbies assigned to the team, but my jounin sensei recommended me to the Cryptanalysis squad and I got a dispensation."

Naruto nodded absently as he followed the girl deeper into the Archives. All around were file cabinets and shelves full of scrolls, files, books, binders, and more – the smell of paper was everywhere, and here and there Naruto could catch glimpses of the other archivists at work, along with the multitude of shinobi here at any time, busily preparing themselves for their next mission.

As they walked, Shiho turned back towards him. "So, what's your issue, Naruto-san?"

Naruto sighed. "Actually… that's the problem – I don't really know. The Hokage assigned my team and me a mission that seems a little fishy, and Kakashi-sensei seems… edgy. It's supposed to be an escort mission that involves some merchant out at Port Wakasu… Shiranaya something, I think."

Shiho nodded at this, clearly running through Naruto's words in her head. "Hmm… that's not too much to work with. So, you think there'll be trouble?"

Naruto nodded gravely. "Yeah. We don't have long – about… forty-five minutes before I have to meet my team at the gate. But I figured if there was anywhere that might be able to tell me something…"

Shiho seemed to come to a conclusion, pounding a fist into her other hand. "I'll find something for sure!"

Naruto was taken aback by her fervor, but shrugged, giving his guide a smile. Shiho murmured quietly to herself as she led Naruto further into the Archives, leafing through files occasionally.

"Let's see here… merchants… no… ports? Nah, probably merchants… take a look at… no, maybe routes? Aha!"

Naruto gave a start as Shiho triumphantly waved a file. From a nearby table, another archivist in a lab coat gave Shiho a fierce hushing noise.

Shiho blushed. "Sorry! Sorry… Uh, hey… Naruto-san, I think I've found a folder that could help."

Naruto crowded close to the girl, leaning over her shoulder slightly. "Really? What is it?"

Shiho scanned the file. "It's a report about trade routes – do you know anything about the shipping out of Port Wakasu?" She paused at Naruto's deadpan face. "Okay, that was a stupid question. Port Wakasu is about dead center along the coast, and it gets shipping from all the major coastal countries – Water, Lightning, Snow, Tea… you get the idea. Recently, though, shipping coming into the port has been lessening a little bit – ships have been arriving late, or not at all."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Right, which is probably why we're being hired. So, does that actually tell us anything we don't know?"

Shiho flapped her arms impatiently. "I'm GETTING to that! And no, by itself, it doesn't. But, this trade route manifest here," Shiho withdrew a single document covered in what looked like undecipherable bureaucratic jargon to Naruto, "does. See, this is the manifest of a ship belonging to none other than Shiranaya Hito!"

Naruto grinned. "Right! So if we figure out where he does business with, we'll know where his ships are coming from, and where they go through – and maybe what the problem is!"

Shiho smiled back. "Exactly." The two stood in silence for a moment before Naruto quirked his eyebrow.

"So…. You going to tell me?"

Shiho blushed. "Ah! Yes! See, Shiranaya Hito does business with, mostly, merchants in Lightning country. His manifest reveals an ongoing trade deal with some people up there to ship wool and liquor down to Port Wakasu – and sure enough, that there's been a bit of a reduction lately."

Naruto nodded, thinking about this and frowning at the map. "So, let's see – Lightning Country down to Port Wakasu – there's not really anything in the way, though, right? I mean, it's the ocean – they can go wherever they want."

Shiho shook her head. "Not quite. See, there are two problems. One, Water Country, over here, is in the middle of a really bloody civil war – that means merchants have been advised not to go anywhere nearby, making it unsafe to travel east of these islands here. Going too close to shore isn't a good idea for a deep-drafted ship…" Shiho sighed, seeing Naruto's face go slightly blank.

"Just trust me that it wouldn't work either. That means that they have to take this middle route, which leads…" Shiho traced the route with her finger, stopping on a single small island near her finger's path.

"Here. Wave Country. It's a backwards little place… I remember hearing that it used to be pretty important before the Second War for some reason, but nowadays it's about as backwater as you get."

Naruto stared at the teardrop-shaped island off the coast of Fire Country. "Wave Country… you think something's happening there that might be messing with the shipping?"

Shiho just shrugged. "Maybe. It makes more sense than sea monsters, which was my other guess." Naruto stared incredulously at her, and then looked at the map again.

"Hmm… Wave Country… well, maybe it's all moot and we'll just need to go walk some fat merchant back to Konoha or something, huh? Still, thanks for your help, Shiho-san!"

Shiho blushed slightly, her mouth morphing into a grin. "No problem! I mean… I don't usually get to help people like this much… To tell you the truth, you're the first person who's asked me."

Naruto tilted his head. "Oh? Why? You're really smart, and you were willing to take the time to help out even when I could barely tell you anything worth a damn…"

Shiho gave him a sideways smile. "I'm the only genin working in here – and it's mostly chuunin and jounin who come here for information. They don't like to ask for help from a genin, so I mostly end up sitting behind the desk when I'm not working on cryptanalysis business."

Naruto grinned. "Well, anytime I've got any questions about a mission, I'll be sure to ask for you – and nobody else! Thanks, Shiho-san!"

And with that, he dashed from the Archives, ignoring the other archivists' gasps of outrage as he went.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Naruto and his team were speeding through the Konoha Forest, Naruto summarizing what he'd learned.

"… and so, we thought whatever was happening, Wave Country might have something to do with it!" Naruto finished, continuing his loping stride. Sakura and Sasuke nodded thoughtfully, while Kakashi sighed.

"You damn kids. I guess it's no use denying it – yes, there's a little more to this mission than a shipping merchant and some wool. I'll fill you in once we get out of the forest." He sped up further, and it took barely another hour to reach the outskirts of the Konoha forest, where the team slowed down, Sakura and Sasuke breathing slightly heavily. Kakashi turned to his students, slowing to a walk.

"All right, so – mission C-35054 – yes, it's an escort mission. But, depending on the circumstances, it might ALSO be a rescue mission – or an extraction." The genin all stared back at him, and Kakashi continued.

"See, the mission specifications are pretty simple – but they're not as simple as 'find the subject, walk it back safely.' Shiranaya-san wants us to head to Port Wakasu, where there SHOULD be a shipment of Cloud-country liquor waiting for us to escort to Ka-Shi. However…"

"The shipment might not be there, because it might have been hijacked or delayed." Sakura finished, her teammates nodding. All three looked slightly grim.

"Exactly. In that case, our mission is to find the missing shipment and retrieve it - or proof of what happened to it, if it's been destroyed. Apparently there's a team from Kumo that should have guarded the shipment as far as Port Wakasu, so if we can't find it, we may be able to contact them and get more information."

The genin nodded again, and Sasuke raised a hand questioningly. "If we discover that the shipment, say, has been taken to Wave Country, does that mean we should go there to retrieve it?"

Kakashi gave a half-smile. "If that should turn out to be the case – yes. Our mission is to see the shipment safely to Ka-Shi."

Naruto drew a short, sharp breath. "But that'd mean… well, basically, invading another country. Even if it's one as small as Wave…"

Kakashi nodded. "It's a bit of a mess we'd be stepping into, yes – but that's probably why Shiranaya-san came to us rather than to the Fire Lord's soldiers. While potential piracy would usually be a matter for the army and navy to deal with, this could turn out to be very delicate. As shinobi, we're technically not Fire Country actors – so our actions won't affect the civilian government."

The genin all frowned simultaneously, understanding what Kakashi wasn't saying – that their actions could very well affect Konoha. Sakura offered a half-hearted note of optimism. "Maybe this is all premature – let's just go to Port Wakasu and maybe it won't… maybe the shipment will be there?"

None of her teammates objected aloud – but the silence that followed was equally telling in its meaning.

* * *

Port Wakasu was a fine harbor – its permanent population was fairly small, and entirely devoted to the more transient portion of its inhabitants – the sailors and merchants who made the port the beginning, end, or a stopover on their travels around the Elemental Continent.

These people, Sakura found, were much like ninja themselves – moving around often, always working on the specific job they were attached to at the time. Every trip was a story unto its own, much as the missions ninja teams carried out were – each had its beginning, middle, and end; its climactic moments and its dull travels.

This moment, though, wasn't dull in the least – instead, Team 7 stood across a desk from a fairly young merchant bent over his desk in a fairly pitiable state. Shiranaya Hito wasn't an incredibly wealthy man – he worked hard, did his best, supported a large family of brothers, sisters, in-laws, and his own wife and children; and had until recently been the master of a steadily expanding business.

"And then your ships began to disappear." Kakashi finished for him. The slightly heavy-set young man ran his hands through his hair, taking another deep drink from the glass in front of him, filled with strong sake.

"Y-yes… And then they started disappearing. Only the ones on the Lightning route – the ones coming from Tea Country arrive just fine. It's only been the two – the last one and this one, but it's the beginning of a pattern, shinobi-san. If I cut off trade with Lightning Country, I lose an enormous part of my business – but I can't afford to put my people and my ships in danger like this…"

Sakura stared at the map on the wall, where the shipping routes used were marked prominently. The Lightning-to-Fire route clearly ran close to Wave Country, just as Naruto had predicted. Things were coming together all too clearly. "Who do you think is responsible, Shiranaya-san? Pirates?"

Shiranaya snorted at this. "Of a sort – pirates… no, it has to be that skunk Gatou… Gatou of the Gatou Trading Corporation."

Naruto started at this. "The same guy who's been monopolizing the oyster trade out of Wave?" Sasuke and Sakura both turned to their teammate in shock at the absurdly minute factoid before Sakura remembered that Naruto had brought up the matter of oysters before – at the team dinner at Sakura's home several months before. Shiranaya stared at Naruto for a moment himself before nodded.

"Yes, that's the one… I don't know for sure, since there hasn't really been any news from Wave for a while – for about half a year, actually… but in that time, pretty much any trade with Wave has been going through Gatou's ships."

Sakura thought about this. If a single trading magnate was apparently controlling all access to a little island country like Wave, he could essentially rule the place like a personal fiefdom. "Has Wave's government said anything? They must have had some response to a trade monopoly like this."

This time it was Kakashi who answered. "Wave… doesn't have a traditional government any more. There are only a few villages and a single small city there, and most of the population subsists on farming. I believe they have an elder council that runs all affairs of state – but there aren't many countries, if any, who engage in diplomatic relations with them."

Kakashi seemed almost saddened by this, and Sakura wondered why – still, that explained why Wave itself had said nothing. Sasuke, quiet so far, finally spoke up. "Really though, it doesn't much matter now – we've taken the mission, and we're quite certain that the shipment is being held in Wave Country."

Naruto's face morphed into a determined smile. "That's right – and no matter what's going on – Gatou or no Gatou – we've got to get that shipment back!"

As the team left Shiranaya's office, Sakura broached the obvious issue. "But how? We can't just run to Wave across the water – it's too far. We don't have a boat and couldn't pilot one if we did – and if there isn't anyone trading with Wave besides this 'Gatou' figure, and he's the one we think is holding the shipment, we aren't going to be able to get anyone to take us there…"

Naruto's eyes flashed. "No way we can just give up now – there's got to be SOMEONE going to Wave; we've just got to find out who!"

* * *

It took the rest of the day to carefully search through the inns and docks of Port Wakasu for someone with a boat willing to transport the team to Wave Country – but eventually they were successful.

Kaiza, the fisherman and part-time smuggler who had agreed to sneak the team across the channel, was a tall, burly man with deeply tanned skin and spiky black hair held back by a white rope. He bore an X-shaped scar on his chin, and had the sort of handsome look and powerful charisma that, had he been born in another place and status, would have made him a leader of men.

"It's really great that you're doing this for us, Kaiza-san!" Naruto enthused as Kaiza pushed his fishing boat away from the docks. The team had helped him load the boat with several chests and baskets full of essential goods – soaps, tools, fishing line, and the like – goods that were difficult to come by in Wave Country now that Gatou had taken control of the Country's harbors.

"It's no trouble at all! Anyone who's planning to make trouble for Gatou is a friend of mine!" Kaiza offered Naruto and the other shinobi a ready grin as he tacked his boat's sail, turning the vessel and setting it on a course out of Port Wakasu's harbor. Kaiza hummed lightly as he steered the boat. Kakashi rested against the back of the vessel, reading, while Sasuke sat at the edge, quietly observing the waves flow by. Sakura looked at Kaiza questioningly.

"So… Kaiza-san – we only know a little bit about what's going on in Wave Country… we've heard that there's no shipping or trade coming in or out other than through Gatou, but we don't really know anything more…"

Kaiza's mouth drew into a tight line, and his eyes hardened. "Oh, it's much worse than that – if it was just trade, things would be dire enough, but we'd survive fine. Wave has soldiered on since the Great War, and we'll keep on – but Gatou didn't settle for money."

He set the boat on a course before turning back to the shinobi. "Once he had control over things coming in and out, Gatou brought his mercenaries ashore – several dozen of them. Rowdy men, accustomed to violence. With their help, Gatou began to oppress the citizens of Wave – setting rules and having his men enforce them like he was the lord of the land."

Naruto cried out in anger. "That's bullshit! Why didn't anyone try to stop him?"

Kaiza shook his head grimly. "It happened too fast – Gatou threw all his weight behind it – and Wave Country was too small to resist then, when they didn't know what was happening – but not now!" Kaiza slammed a hand into the side of his boat. "We're preparing – marshalling what resources we've got. Soon, we'll be strong enough – and Gatou will pay!"

Naruto's cheered, and Sakura's face twisted into a small smile. Even Sasuke nodded approvingly. "So long as you have the will to fight, it's no cowardice to hold back until you're ready."

Naruto pumped his fist. "It's awesome that you guys are gonna take him down! I'm sorry we can't do anything to help…" He looked truly apologetic, and Kaiza chuckled.

"No, no – you're Konoha shinobi, and you should look to your own – besides, by getting this ship away from Gatou's men, you'll be doing us some good already, by showing my people that Gatou can be fought!"

The genin spent the rest of the ride discussing Kaiza's planned revolution with the fisherman. Though inexperienced at war and conflict, the man's spirit was inexhaustible, he was happy to take into account the advice the genin could give him – adolescents or not, he knew them to be far more experienced combatants than anyone in Wave Country.

All the while, Kakashi sat quietly and read his book.

* * *

Sasuke sighed in relief as Kaiza's boat reached the shore of Wave Country well after dark, the moonlight pouring down on the beach. The shallow-drafted fishing boat was easy to pull into the silent lagoon where Kaiza stored it, and the shinobi hopped ashore.

Sasuke hadn't particularly enjoyed the boat ride, despite the spirited conversation – perhaps, he wondered, it had something to do with his elements' reactions to the water. Fire was dampened by it and lightning thrown awry.

As Kaiza tossed them a salute, quietly beginning to carry the boxes of goods he'd smuggled from the mainland away, towards the house in the distance Sasuke remembered the fisherman pointing out as the one he lived in with his wife, father-in-law, and stepson, Kakashi turned to his team.

"Well, we're in Wave Country now – and in hostile territory. From now on, try to use hand signs whenever possible to communicate – or keep fairly quiet, at least. We have no idea how Gatou's men will react to seeing us – it's unlikely they know to look for shinobi, but they may attack on principle."

Naruto raised a hand. "Kaiza-san said that Gatou's enforcing some kind of curfew, right? So being out this late, we'll probably get attacked or at least arrested or something if his guys see us…"

Sasuke saw where his teammate was going. "Should we attack Gatou's men, then, preemptively – if they seem to be in our path, of course?"

Though not as taken with the romanticism of Kaiza's revolutionary zeal as his teammates, Sasuke had still ingested a healthy amount of the fisherman's distaste for Gatou. Sasuke might not particularly have any interest beyond the minimum in the Wave's fate – but he could readily admit that Gatou's actions in seizing dictatorial control of the nation, throttling its people, and behaving with boorish cruelty rubbed him very much the wrong way. Striking at his enforcers seemed a reasonable way to vent that frustration without overstepping the mission's boundaries.

Kakashi shook his head. "Negative. Anyone we attack will either alert their comrades that we're here, or, if they go 'missing,' will cause a general sense of alarm."

Naruto grumbled, but Sasuke could see the wisdom in caution. Sakura raised a hand. "What about the Cloud team? If the ship got brought here, we should be able to find them and find out exactly what happened, right?"

Kakashi nodded. "True. Kaiza-san mentioned a population center – some sort of small city or large town, yes? Let's make our way there and see if we can't figure out where they're staying."

Naruto raised his hand again. "What about our uniforms? We don't exactly look like civilians, dressed like this…"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't think Gatou's men will react to them, but let's stay out of sight until we find the Cloud team anyways, huh?"

Team 7 then quickly melted into the shadows, slipping from rock to bush to tree, making their way across the relatively open terrain. They soon caught their first glimpse of Gatou's mercenaries, patrolling along the roadway – two of the mercenaries together. Sasuke sneered at the men, wearing mass-produced katanas with flat-ground edges. If ninja were a superior form of soldier to the samurai who populated the Elemental Lords' armies, those samurai were classes above the scum that chuckled to themselves over a dirty joke as they walked down the road.

Though his hand drifted unconsciously to his blade, Sasuke grit his teeth and moved on, taking pleasure in moving barely a meter away from them at one point before stealing away like a shadow, totally unnoticed.

If all of Gatou's men were as incompetent as these, Sasuke thought, retrieving the missing shipment would be no trouble at all.

* * *

It took barely an hour to slip through the darkness towards the myriad of lights that marked the location of Wave Country's sole city, unsurprisingly known as Wave Town. As the team drew back together near the outskirts of the town, Naruto contemplated the lack of creativity in naming geographical features in the Elemental Countries – everything in Fire Country was about fire, lava, melting, flames, burning, boiling, and so on – just as everything here seemed to be waves, tides, and whirlpools.

The team had gathered behind a copse of bushes near the edge of the town, where the buildings were beginning to grow thicker and streets lined with homes and shops began to appear. Once his students surrounded him, Kakashi spoke quietly.

"All right, we're here – now, we'll need to split up again to find these Kumo-nin – any ideas?" Kakashi clearly had a fairly good idea where to look, but far be it from Naruto to try and rebel against his instructor's habit of turning everything into a lesson.

"Um… if they were aboard the ship when it got hijacked, they either decided not to fight or got taken prisoner. If they were taken prisoner, there'd probably have been more of an uproar, and Kaiza-san would have told us that. So… they didn't fight, yeah?" Naruto ventured.

Sasuke nodded slowly at this. "That makes me wonder why not – since this was probably a C-rank mission for them as well, it was either a trio of chuunin or three genin and a jounin – any of which could probably have torn Gatou's entire little empire apart."

"Maybe he has missing-nin?" Sakura ventured. "That would have been good reason to fake being civilians and avoid a fight until they had a better opportunity, right?"

Kakashi chuckled. "You're all forgetting one thing – what if their mission was different than ours?" The genin turned to him. "Remember – this was only the second ship to go missing, and we were only sent for when the shipment was late. That means the Kumo shinobi probably had minimal orders, which may well have instructed them to avoid combat if possible."

Sasuke frowned at this. "What kind of escort mission orders the shinobi to avoid combat?"

Naruto nodded, though, understanding. "Oh, right – like if they thought the ship was only being temporarily impounded or inspected or something, they might pretend to be civilians or something until they could confirm that Gatou's guys were stealing the shipment!"

Kakashi nodded. "It would take a rather naïve or underpowered team to avoid combat in a scenario like this – but we can find out the specifics once we locate them. Split up and search for them in whatever way you see fit."

As the team split up, Naruto undid his forehead protector, tucking it away in his vest. Then, with a swift set of seals, he cried, "**Henge no Jutsu!**"

Replacing Naruto was a fairly nondescript young man with brown hair and dark eyes, wearing similar rural clothing to those that Kaiza had worn. Naruto whistled, stepping out onto the street. He began walking down it nonchalantly, looking either way as he went.

"Hey you! What're you doin' out after curfew!" Naruto cursed. Of COURSE he'd forgotten that there was a curfew – and thus that if he was seen, there'd be trouble. He faked a slightly deeper voice.

"Uh, nothin' – just… um… taking a walk?" The burly mercenary who approached him, two of his comrades nearby, squinted.

"Takin' a walk my ass. Probably causin' trouble, or maybe… workin' with those smugglers, eh?" The mercenary grabbed Naruto hard around the arm and shook him. Naruto faked a look of distress.

"Oh, come on man! I swear, I wasn't up to nothin'! Let me go!" The mercenary, a growl in his voice, dragged Naruto towards himself several steps. Naruto could smell the rancid whiskey on the man's breath, and fought hard to avoid wrinkling his nose.

"Let you go, huh? Got any cash? Maybe then…" Naruto grit his teeth – his urge to beat the mercenaries senseless was rising faster than he could hold it back. Luckily, one of the other mercenaries called out to the one holding Naruto.

"Hey, man – let's just take him back to the lock-up. We'll deal with him later." The mercenary snarled in reply and hurled Naruto to the ground. Naruto fought to maintain his transformation, only barely succeeding, before he was wrestled back to his feet and dragged along.

The mercenaries dragged Naruto down the street and around a corner, then further along the road a ways. Several minutes later, they arrived at a ragged looking building of stone, built with a tile roof whose tiles were largely gone, replaced by shabby wooden shingles of irregular size. The mercenaries hauled Naruto inside, where the bright light blinded him for a moment.

"Oi, boss – we got one for the lock-up – out after curfew! Didn't have no reason neither!"

The 'boss' looked up – a pale man with shoulder-length grey hair and dark lines tattooed under his eyes. He wore a dark purple hat and blue-grey jacket, and a katana rested against the side of the desk he sat behind. The man groaned.

"Another one? Sounds like these piece-of-shit villagers are out in force tonight, huh… Throw him in with the other one – let 'em cool their heels for the night, and we'll worry about 'em in the morning."

Naruto didn't have to fake his cry of distress as the mercenaries dragged him to a room near the back, its door made of a solid, dark wood. If he was locked up, he wouldn't be able to report to his team, find the Cloud shinobi, or anything! He could, Naruto reflected, break out of the mercenaries' grasp right now, but something told him that doing so would, as Kakashi had pointed out earlier, alert all of Gatou's forces – and Naruto wasn't certain that was a good idea either. Actually, he was downright certain that doing so would be a bad idea.

On the other hand, if he was 'taken prisoner,' Naruto thought, he could get free – the shingled roof overhead would be easy enough to dismantle, and there were no windows looking into the room he was to be locked into. He could slip away without a problem, and with any luck, the mercenaries wouldn't care enough to react in the morning.

Though… what was that they'd said about there being someone else already in there?

The door opened, and the mercenaries flung Naruto into the room. His world spun for a moment as he landed on something soft – or rather, someone, he supposed.

"Get the hell off me!"

As the mercenaries slammed the door shut, Naruto found himself being tossed off the girl he'd been hurled onto. She was striking, to say the least, with bright red hair, skin darker than Naruto's, bright golden eyes, and a sharp, unyielding face. She was fairly tall, with a lithe build and tightly muscled limbs, and wore a simple dark grey smock-like dress ripped off at the arms.

Naruto scowled as he pushed himself back to his knees. "Hey, it wasn't exactly my idea to land on you, dammit!"

The girl's vibrant eyes glared at Naruto as if they could boil him alive with their fury. Naruto stared back, and after a moment the girl let out a grunt. "Well fine, then. At least you got off."

Naruto snorted at the, presumably unintended, innuendo. The girl seemed not to notice it, her eyes still warily watching him. Naruto gave her a long look, and then jerked. The people of Wave Country, like those of Fire Country, were almost entirely pale-skinned. The only place Naruto could recall dark skin like his cellmate's being common was…

"So, what'd they haul you in for?" The girl asked, tracing a circle on the floor with her finger as her nearly-luminous eyes remained fixed on Naruto's (transformed) face.

Naruto grimaced. "Being out after curfew. Same as you, I guess. That IS why they pinched you, yeah?"

The red-haired girl snarled slightly. "Well, yeah, sort of. My… my room-mate sent me out late 'cause she needed me to… get something for her, and I was late on my way back – so some of these goons grabbed me and got fresh. They quit that right as soon as I broke one of their noses. Then they brought me here…"

Naruto was almost certain – but he knew that if he was wrong, things would get very messy very quickly – this girl didn't seem the quiet sort. He thought carefully. "Yeah… I just got here after… er… looking for something for some… roommates of my own, myself. Probably should've been a bit more discreet, huh?" Naruto grinned ruefully and rubbed the back of his head, but he caught the near-imperceptible narrowing of the girl's eyes.

With a slight breath, Naruto brought every ounce of chakra control he had to bear, taking control of his transformation for a moment and suppressing it for less than half a second, allowing his true appearance to shine through for that time. The girl's eyes widened and she took a sharp breath – but there was no fear or confusion in her eyes – only recognition and understanding.

Naruto smiled.

The girl remained silent for several seconds before wetting her lips. "So… you've got roommates, huh? I guess if we're stuck in here, might as well get to know each other a bit better…"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah – two others around my age and an older guy – he's been around the block a bit, sort of bosses the rest of us around. You?"

"I've got two roommates – both around my age, but one's a bit bossy herself – just 'cause she's a little older, y'know? The name's Karui, by the way." Naruto took the girl's hand as she extended it and shook it – their hands slid up to each other's wrists in an old shinobi handshake – checking along the forearms for concealed weapons.

"Naruto. So, you think we'll be here long?" Karui shook her head, her mane of red locks whipping about.

"Probably not. My other roommate's a worrier – he'll probably find some reason to come out and get me – and I'll take you too."

Naruto nodded slowly. Sit tight and wait for the other Kumo ninja – even if it was a little obscure to Naruto how the other Kumo-nin would avoid getting thrown into the cell as well.

A few minutes later, there was a dull thudding noise outside, followed by a muffled voice. The voice was nonchalant and easygoing, though its words really weren't.

"Hey, guys – You seen my sister? She's got red hair and is really loud. She went missing, and I think she might have gotten kidnapped and sold for spare organs on the black market and will resurface as the left arm of a dictator with the urge to conquer the world and steal my candy."

There was further muffled conversation on the other side of the wall for a time, as Naruto looked towards Karui with a confused expression. Karui's own face was priceless, a mixture of embarrassment, horror, and relief warring across her features as the door opened.

A lean young man stood in the doorway, his skin the same dark shade as Karui's. His features were rounded and pleasant, his eyes were dark, and his hair was shock white and spiky. He wore a simple dark grey shirt with a hood hanging from the back of the neck with dark pants.

"Hey 'sis.' You ready to blow this joint? Or, more worryingly, did prison change you, so that you liked it in here a bit too much, taking advantage of your aggressive nature and strength to make a place for yourself -"

"That's enough, Omoi!" Karui snapped, clearly frustrated. Naruto couldn't see why, he was highly entertained by the other boy's laissez-faire attitude. Omoi, as his name apparently was, withdrew a long-stemmed lollipop from his pocket, unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth.

"So… coming?" Karui sighed, and then looked at Naruto.

"This guy's in here for the same reason as us – well, as me, that is. We should take him with us – he might be of some help to Samui."

Omoi looked over at Naruto, looking him up and down. "I guess. Hey you, want to come? It'd mean spending more time with her…" Omoi jerked his head at Karui, who bristled.

"What the hell is that supposed to -" Naruto cut off the angry girl's tirade.

"Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea. Think these guys would allow that?"

Omoi shrugged. "Probably. Hold on."

Naruto stood up and stretched as Omoi turned and walked back into the room with the mercenaries in it. Karui watched in disbelief.

"Is he… is he bribing them with CANDY?!"

* * *

Omoi unlocked the door to the small shack he'd led Naruto and Karui to, sucking on his lollipop and listening to Karui's commentary all the way.

"… and it's about time that you Konoha assholes got here, because we've been sitting around waiting for some sort of back-up or signal for DAYS, and this has been the shittiest -"

Omoi, opening the door, interrupted Karui. He called out to the final member of the Kumo ninja team. "Hey, Samui, we're back."

If Karui had been striking, her teammate Samui was stunning. Naruto was shocked at the girl's elegantly lovely face, piercing blue eyes, and shoulder-length, bob-cut blonde hair. Beyond that, though, it was the girl's almost lewdly curvaceous figure that left Naruto blushing – she had an immense, heavy bosom, slender waist, and rounded hips characteristic of a much older woman. Samui wore a grey dress similar to Karui's but with its short sleeves intact and a mesh-armor shirt underneath – necessary to hide her barely-concealed chest.

Samui gazed at Naruto with a dispassionate eye before turning to her teammates. "Omoi, Karui. Who's the stranger?"

Naruto twitched for a moment before remembering to drop his transformation. His false appearance slid away from him, and he met Samui's gaze as he withdrew his forehead protector from his pocket.

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha's Team 7. You must be Samui – the leader of the Kumo shinobi assigned to protect Shiranaya Hito's shipment, yes?"

Samui nodded, ignoring Karui's slight grumbling. "Yes, I am. Chuunin Samui of Kumo."

Naruto nodded, placing his hands together in a seal. Omoi and Karui started at this, but Naruto shook his head. "Relax – I'm just going to send word via a couple of clones to my teammates, so they can rendezvous with us."

Naruto summoned several clones, who filed out of the small building, leaving the Kumo shinobi with Naruto. Samui, once the door was closed once more, gestured for Naruto to take the seat across from her.

"Sounds cool. And what, may I ask; will we be doing, then?"

Naruto steepled his fingers, as he'd seen Shikamaru do often while thinking. "First you're going to tell us everything that's happened." He stared into Samui's cool, guarded eyes. "And then, we're going to find a way to get that shipment back."

* * *

**Technique Library**: No new techniques this chapter!

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

Whoops, I guess I inadvertently lied. I'm sorry – this chapter was once again, focused on sort of an intrigue and set-up feel. On the other hand, as you can probably tell, next chapter will be quite action-heavy, though (and I promise it's not a lie this time).

So, hints of the future coming already – as you can see, I'm approaching the concept of the Wave arc from a very different direction. Technically, this isn't even it. But in a few chapters' time, we'll begin the Wave arc proper – and hopefully it'll be unlike anything you've seen before. More about that arc, though, when we reach it.

Additionally, the introduction of the cloud team! I really would have liked to use a team besides Team Samui, since we know so little about them, but then, I suppose we'd know less about any other team – and it IS nice to be able to bring in some non-Konoha shinobi. They'll play a pretty major role this arc, and will pop up as is appropriate.

A few responses to selected reviews:

_theIrishWriter_: Thanks for the praise! Kushina has a very large role to play in this story still – I've always felt that Naruto's parents weren't really used enough as a plot point in the original series – nor was information about their pieced out over any length of time. That's my goal, as a result – to bring out the truth slowly and organically. You also certainly noticed a few more things that will play a role later – I won't say what, to avoid spoiling anything!

_Sagemodeman_: I'm almost certain that we all curse Kishimoto for not making Kakashi act like anything resembling a real teacher. Naruto's earlier part (before the time-skip) has so much material and such an incredible variety of options that it's sad to see how little it was all used.

_Dark Prime0_: And, here we see the genin being warned pretty directly of the consequences of the secrets they've been told. In essence, this whole story is about starting with very little changes and slowly making bigger changes from the results – the characters are still recognizable (I hope), but are growing up. The extended timeline (several months instead of just a couple) helps, since it lets me believably give the characters a sense of trust towards one another.

_GogglesFTW_: Naturally not all of Naruto's peers will find out about his status all at the same time. The records, presumably, have been classified and/or altered, since otherwise it'd be almost boneheadedly easy for someone to walk in, take a look, and discover a whole menagerie of truths that they're not supposed to know.

_Jiraiya's Disciple_: I think we covered things in our PM conversation, and I'd again like to extend my thanks for your reviews and continued support.

_Guest_: Wish I had a name to respond to, so I could specify who I was talking to. Oh well; I'm probably going to avoid real-life characters, if only because Naruto clearly doesn't take place in any part of the real world (or, actually, in any real time period…). I do plan to focus on deep, multi-layered plots for the most part, and even when I don't, they'll usually wind into each other (or, actually, even those that ARE multilayered will probably wind into each other…).

_Kami no Doujutsu_: Error corrected, thanks for noticing and letting me know. I'm not sure why I kept spelling his name wrong; I certainly knew better…

_MuffinMan9223_: I'll admit that drawing Sakura deeper in is harder (and takes longer) than the other two, since they have a lot in common, and a lot of trauma to help each other with. However, Sakura, I feel, is an important backbone to the team – the other two are too prickly without her, and as things go forward and they open up more, it'll be easier for them to include her as well (see the "next time, take me too" scene). There will, of course, be much spilling of guts. Both metaphorical and literal.

_PillPushr, Guest_: Errors corrected, thanks for noticing and letting me know!

Thank you all for your support; please continue to read and review!

- The Captain


	13. Chapter 13: A Pirate's Life for Me

**Summary**: What does it mean to be a ninja? This is the question that guides Uzumaki Naruto through his life as a shinobi of Konoha. Along that path, witness as he meets friends, fights evil, and keeps his eyes fixed on the ultimate dream…

**Rating Warning (T)**: This story will include fairly intense violence, occasional suggestive themes, and occasional strong language. Please use your judgment.

**Disclaimer**: "Naruto" and associated material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo.

**Date**: September 21, 2014

* * *

**Naruto: Birth of a Ninja**

**Chapter 13: A Pirate's Life for Me**

_Wherein the team makes new friends and steals a ship._

* * *

In the sleepy suburbs on the outskirts of Wave Town, the capital and sole population center of Wave Country was a small shack. Built of driftwood and loose timber, the shack appeared to be little more than a homestead constructed by a struggling farmer. Stained by the mire and warped by the weather, the little building was hardly anything to look at.

Little could an onlooker, most likely an agent of the Gatou Trading Corporation, have suspected that in the shack was the single greatest concentration of shinobi to be found in Wave Country since the Second War.

A silent pact had been struck within the little building across a slightly tottering table, under the light of a flickering lantern filled with a bare spoonful of whale oil. On one side sat Hatake Kakashi and his students and on the other side Samui and her comrades.

None fooled themselves into believing that the camaraderie was anything more than convenience. However, the situation dictated necessity – and if nothing else, shinobi thrived on necessity.

"Now that introductions have been made, Samui-san, please summarize the course your mission has taken." Kakashi's level tone belied the wariness in his eye. Naruto knew that his teacher, a veteran of the Third War, had last faced Cloud shinobi as enemies across a battlefield. The accession of a new Raikage a half-decade past was hardly likely to be enough to soothe those memories.

Samui leaned forward almost subconsciously, and Naruto fought (unsuccessfully, as Sakura's subtle elbow informed him) to avoid glancing at her deep cleavage. The girl could hardly be more than a couple of years older than him, yet she showed a maturity and careful attitude which left no doubt why she had been chosen for promotion – or why she was in charge of her team.

"Of course, Hatake-san. We were assigned a C-ranked mission to guard a shipment of wool and Lightning liquor carried by a ship belonging to Shiranaya Hito on its route to Fire Country. From what I gather, the same man is your employer, yes?" Cool blue eyes took in Kakashi's nod, and she continued, "The first week of our mission, on the _Airi_ were quiet – and uneventful. However, we encountered trouble roughly four days ago."

Naruto did some quick figuring. "Wait… we got our mission two days ago. That means Shiranaya san would only have had two days himself to realize something was wrong and send for help from Konoha?"

Sasuke nodded. "It's a short time, but this is the second time it's happened. I suppose Shiranaya-san panicked when his ship wasn't on time."

Samui shrugged at this. "I can't say what our employer was thinking, but it does seem that he was on edge about the whole affair. Rightfully so, since we were waylaid."

Sakura blinked at this. "Were any of you injured? I don't see anything obvious, but if necessary, I'm a medic-nin…" Samui shook her head, and Karui snorted.

Omoi, on the other hand, lifted his elbow. "I skinned my elbow earlier today. Could you help? I think it might get infected – and if that happens, I'll have to get my arm cut off."

As Sakura tended to the Cloud genin, Kakashi motioned at Samui to continue her story. "Four days ago, a pair of frigates pulled alongside the _Airi_ and ordered her captain to weigh anchor. That means stop," Samui explained at Naruto's confused look. "We stopped, and several mercenaries boarded. I ordered Karui and Omoi to wait until we knew if they were pirates – but they turned out to be what passes for authorities in this nation."

Naruto grit his teeth. "They're not the government! They're just goons working for Gatou!"

Samui shrugged again. "Maybe they were – but they're still the authorities here, for now. Regardless, they asked for the _Airi_'s captain to follow them to a nearby harbor, which took a little less than a day – today was the third day after that. I sent Omoi and Karui out to take a look and see whether the ship had been disturbed – your boy there ran into Karui after she got herself caught."

Karui and Naruto both proclaimed their dislike of Samui's phrasing, but Kakashi ignored them, leaning his chin on a hand. "Hmm… and, from the fact that you haven't set the docks ablaze, I can assume the ship hasn't been disturbed yet?"

Samui silently shook her head, and Kakashi turned to his students. Sakura had quickly mended Omoi's elbow, and the two had returned – Omoi again sucking on a lollipop he'd retrieved from his shirt pocket. "Curious. Why would Gatou and his men refrain from taking the wool – and more importantly, the liquor – aboard the _Airi_?"

Sasuke volunteered his answer first. "Maybe they didn't want to tangle with Samui-san and her team? If they realized there were shinobi aboard, and aren't certain if the shipment is still guarded…"

Samui, though, vetoed this idea. "The ship's crew might have known we were shinobi rather than just any other passengers, but unless they told Gatou's men, there's no reason for them to suspect that the shipment has any sort of protection." Sasuke gave a quietly annoyed sound to this; not using the dangerous reputation that came with the title of 'shinobi' to avoid trouble seemed foolish to him.

Naruto spoke next. "Maybe… maybe they're waiting? I mean, if the wool and all has a designated buyer, maybe Gatou doesn't even want to take the stuff – just sell it and the ship itself on to some other criminal?" Kakashi nodded at this.

"Seems reasonable – that'd explain why he hasn't moved the ship or emptied it. Samui-san, what do you think?"

Samui's pale blue eyes rested on Naruto's face, and he carefully remained still. The girl's gaze was like a steady flow of icy water, trickling down his spine, and he could feel her judging him. "It seems reasonable. There's another concern that makes it more likely than the first option."

Sasuke frowned at this curiously. "And that is…?"

"Gatou's hired missing-nin." The shack went silent – Omoi and Karui stared at their leader in confusion.

"How do you know that?" Karui's questioning grunt spoke aloud the question the whole group had wanted to ask.

Samui's lips twisted slightly. "You didn't think I was sitting around in here while you and Omoi were watching the ship, did you? I asked around the docks a little – there are a few people who match the general profile for missing-nin – particularly in that they're wearing slashed headbands."

The other shinobi digested this. Kakashi pursed his lips under his mask. "I don't suppose you happen to know who the missing-nin are?"

Samui sighed. "No. I was only able to learn that Gatou had hired a few missing-nin at all – asking any more seemed like it might tip them off."

Naruto grunted. "What good does knowing that do, then? It doesn't change the facts. We have to get the _Airi_ and the shipment; after all, that's both our missions. Missing-nin or not, our job's the same!"

Kakashi took charge, clearly deciding that he'd heard enough from the many less-experienced shinobi around him. "True – and because of that, I'd say it'd be best for us to make common cause. What do you say, Samui-san?"

Samui frowned. "I'm not going to allow you to take charge of my subordinates… but I agree that working together seems like it would be the most likely way to obtain the result that we all want."

Kakashi and Samui shook hands, and with that, a plan began to form around the table.

* * *

"I guess it could have been worse. I could have been working with the scary guy with the sword – and he might have gotten annoyed at me talking, and tried to stab me – and that'd probably alert the guards, and who knows what might happen?"

Sakura carefully took a long breath. Really, dealing with her teammates had been like training for being partnered with Omoi. She'd had no idea that anyone could be as annoying as Naruto had been before Kakashi's training. "Omoi-san, please. We're supposed to be checking on who's guarding the ship."

Because Sasuke had steadfastly refused to be partnered with him, and because Samui had requested to go with Naruto, Sakura had found herself teamed up with Omoi. Though cool-headed and friendly, Omoi had, within the span of barely an hour, figured out roughly two dozen ways everything could go wrong. Most had been unlikely or totally impossible.

Omoi had been the only member of his team to successfully make his way to where the _Airi_ was kept earlier. As the two had been travelling for a fair while, Sakura could only assume that it was far away.

As they emerged at the edge of the headland, Sakura looked across the small bay towards the Gatou Trading Corporation harbor. The structures were simply built and rickety, looking new – as they were. Gatou had taken control of the island nation only half a year back, and the structures had been built out of the fishing piers which had stood before them. Erected by quasi-slave labor within days, the harbor now bore the distinct look of a decayed place, treated with disdain and distaste even by Gatou's own men.

"That's the _Airi_?" Sakura quietly asked, peering at the cargo ship near the center of the harbor. Right away, she could see a problem – the _Airi_ was just over halfway down the harbor, near a building where several mercenaries could be seen congregating.

"Yeah, that's the one. Man, there're a lot of them there. Probably enough to -"

"Enough to be a problem if we launched a direct assault;" Sakura quickly interrupted. "And we're not going to be able to sneak up on land."

"By water then? You and your teammates can do that, right?" Omoi made a walking motion with the forefingers of his right hand, and Sakura gave an irritated nod. "So what's the problem then?"

"The problem," Sakura hissed, "is that we'd have to pretty much walk across the entire bay if we did it that way – and that's hardly stealthy. A half-dozen people walking on water is going to draw even the most brain-dead mercenary's eye!"

"So… what then?" Omoi's calm eyes settled on her, and Sakura wondered if anything truly fazed him. She wished she had Naruto's head for quick strategies, or Sasuke's tactical sense. Instead, she peered across the harbor again, buying time.

"Let's see… We can't walk across the harbor because it's too obvious, and we can't go around the bay on land, because there isn't really anywhere to hide…" Sakura stared at the fishing boats that lay quietly in the bay.

"Ooh." Sakura nearly leapt out of her skin as Omoi's voice came from barely over her shoulder, his chin nearly touching her arm. She spun, and he raised his hands defensively.

"Sorry! Sorry! Uh…" Omoi rubbed the back of his neck, and Sakura bit her lip. The two exchanged a glance, and then looked out at the harbor again – and Sakura couldn't help but think they'd reached the answer at the same time.

"So…" Omoi started again, "You know anyone who's got a boat?"

* * *

"So, know how to use that fancy sword?"

Karui's taunting voice echoed quietly off of the city's narrow alley walls as she and Sasuke walked through, their feet padding silently, sheathed in chakra. Sasuke grit his teeth. He dearly hoped avoiding the lollipop-sucking boy Sakura had gone with was worth this.

Karui had apparently found something personally insulting about being partnered with Sasuke, and as the two had made their approach towards the city's harbor, she hadn't quit her snide commentary. She had covered his looks, his experience, his family, and his teammates. Naturally his sword would follow.

As with Karui's other comments, Sasuke remained silent, instead leading the pair around another corner. Wave Town wasn't a particularly dense place, so the alleyways the two genin were travelling through were about the only cover they had. Particularly with Samui's information regarding the missing-nin Gatou had hired, they couldn't afford to travel on the rooftops.

"So, think we'll find anything?" Karui spoke up again. The two had been assigned to find Gatou's privateering vessels – Omoi hadn't seen them in Gatou's private harbor, and knowing their location would be critical if the shinobi didn't want to end up at the bottom of the harbor.

"Probably not. If Gatou's men anchored their paramilitary vessels in Nami no Toshi's fishing port, it would almost be asking for the people of Wave to attack them."

Karui snorted. "From what I've seen of these people, I doubt that. They'd probably just cower even worse if there were armed ships around here."

Sasuke remembered the determined look in Kaiza's eye and silently doubted Karui's words. The people of Wave Country might not have acted yet – but there could be no doubt that the frustration was boiling – even if it was currently under the surface.

Karui was silent after that for a while. The two quietly wound their way towards the docks, and Sasuke focused his mind on the mission once more. Indeed, if Gatou's ships weren't in the private harbor that Omoi had mentioned, and if they weren't likely to be at the public fishing piers, where else might they be?

As they emerged at the docks, Karui leaned out of the alleyway, looking this way and that along the quayside. "Hmm… you were right – I don't see any ships here. Dammit! Where are they, then?"

Sasuke, though, had already moved past her, a shadow against the moonlit night. He saw several thick coils of rope settled on the pier – too thick for fishing boats.

"… No, I was wrong. They do anchor here." Karui turned to him, a frown marring her face.

"Really? After what you were saying about it being dangerous? That seems pretty stupid of them… And if they're not here, then what, are they out looking for more prey?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Perhaps, perhaps not – maybe their missing-nin keep the ships safe. Perhaps they've got weapons aboard the ship that make it too dangerous for non-shinobi to attack them. Without actually seeing the ships, we can't know."

Karui sighed. "I guess. Still, seems like a pain – at least if they're out, they can't interfere with the plan, right?"

Sasuke wished he were as confident.

* * *

"Why'd you want me to come with you, Samui-san?"

Naruto's query broke the silence that had lasted for nearly an hour after the two blonde shinobi had left the hut. While Samui had handled the quiet with her usual lack of any discernable reaction, Naruto was less able to quell his confusion.

When Kakashi had posited that the two teams split into pairs, each consisting of a Cloud shinobi and a Leaf shinobi, Samui had agreed instantly – and had asked to be paired with Naruto. While normally Naruto would have had no complaints about being paired with the attractive older girl, his training under Lord Mikaze had left him with an instinctive sense for ulterior motives – and that sense was blaring in his head like an alarm bell.

He'd kept his question to himself as he followed Samui through the outskirts of town, beneath the notice of town guards, and eventually to the brush where they hid, near the same jail-cum-headquarters where Karui and he had been held earlier. Now, as they waited for something – what, Naruto wasn't certain – Naruto could bear the uncertainty no longer.

Samui spared him a look. "I should think that would be obvious."

Naruto frowned. "If it was obvious, I wouldn't've asked, right? I kept quiet about it earlier, since Kakashi-sensei seemed all right with it. But now, I think I'd like to know what's going on here."

Samui's eyes widened slightly at Naruto's gesture between the two of them. "You think…? No, no, that's… that's just not cool. We're on a mission."

Her deadpan delivery confused Naruto further for a moment before her implication caught up to him. "What?! No! That's not… What the hell!"

Naruto spluttered, and Samui simply shrugged, turning away – and Naruto immediately noted that she hadn't answered the question. He filed the thought away as something he'd have to ask Kakashi about, and resolved to treat the attractive kunoichi with the greatest degree of caution possible.

Just then, Samui pointed, whispering. "There – their guards are changing."

Naruto looked up, watching the two mercenaries standing outside yawning and standing up to swap places with another pair exiting the building behind them. The two new guards looked fairly tired as well, one stumbling slightly, possibly with drunkenness, and the other rubbing at his eyes, as if he'd just been awoken. Naruto realized the plan before he was told, but allowed Samui to explain it anyways – if she was already interested in him, maybe better, he thought, to let her assume he was an idiot.

"The late-night watch – it's always the time when guards are most likely to fall asleep or be off their guard. I'm going to distract them away from the door – when I do, you slip into their headquarters and find any information they have regarding these missing-nin."

Naruto nodded, but bit his lip. "What makes you think there'll be anything in there about the missing-nin? Don't shinobi funds usually come out of, y'know, hidden places in peoples' accounting – not out in the open?"

Samui nodded. "Probably. But that's not what you're likely to find – look for orders regarding special assets or places in their security structure that would be obvious flaws without someone or something to cover them."

With this, Samui loosened her obi slightly, allowing her dress to fall slightly more loosely around her torso – Naruto's eyes nearly bugged out at her even-more-vast cleavage. Samui's smile shifted very slightly – still cold, but now with a strangely alluring tilt that sent all of Naruto's blood rushing to places it really didn't need to be. One thing was for certain – it was pretty obvious how Samui intended to distract the guards.

Samui approached the two guards, and though Naruto couldn't hear what was being said, the lecherous gleam in the drunken guard's eye was unmistakable. Naruto's eyes widened further as the girl led the two guards around a corner into a small alleyway – his mind clouded over, and strange images flooded his thoughts – but he shook himself free. Samui's methods were none of his concern.

Instead, Naruto slipped forward to the door, listening carefully – there were no footsteps nearby on the inside, so he slipped in, already crouching. The entrance hallway was partially blocked by a plant, he remembered, so as he entered, he visualized himself as a rodent.

"**Henge no Jutsu**!" In his new visage, Naruto quickly made his way across the ground. The transformation didn't actually change his size, he knew, but viewers would have to look carefully to see the visual distortions where his actual body was – and so long as he kept behind some kind of cover, they were unlikely to see him at all.

Iruka-sensei had very specifically instructed his students not to use the transformation technique in exactly this sort of manner – even civilians could usually tell the difference between the basic camouflage-like coverage the technique offered and reality, given a moment's attention. Better techniques existed to provide true visual stealth if needed.

A pity that Naruto didn't know any.

The guard at the desk – not the same one he'd seen before, but a taller man with an eyepatch and strange hairstyle, was too far away to hear the door or Naruto's technique, so the now-rodentile ninja slipped past him, into the hallway that led to the rooms where the mercenaries were staying and to the quasi-jail he'd been confined in earlier. The trouble, Naruto realized, was that he hadn't seen much of the building to begin with – just the entryway, this hall, and the jail. Where could he find anything potentially related to the missing-nin Gatou had supposedly hired?

The answer came in an unlikely manner – as Naruto moved up to each door and listened inside, three of the doors contained nothing more than snores and quiet speech – but just as Naruto began to make his way to the fourth door, it burst open and the man he'd seen earlier, with the silver hair, poked his head out.

"Hey! Where'd we put that list of villagers to hit up tomorrow?" Naruto remembered that the man had been some sort of leader to at least the mercenaries who'd captured him earlier, and slipped past him into the room – if there was anywhere likely to contain paperwork, his room would probably be it.

Someone outside responded loudly, and Naruto almost jumped for joy as he watched the silver-haired mercenary curse and leave. Naruto sighed in satisfaction as he released his technique.

Time to get to work.

* * *

The trip from Gatou's little harbor to Kaiza's home was fairly short, since Kaiza lived on the edge of the island closest to the mainland. Sakura found Kaiza sitting on a large stone in the quiet house's yard, a small boy – likely Kaiza's stepson – sleeping on the grass next to him. The fisherman was carefully re-pleating a fishing line, and raised his hand in greeting towards Sakura.

Sakura smiled and bowed, gesturing to Omoi, behind her. "Good to see you again, Kaiza-san – I was worried you might be asleep, since it was so late. This is Omoi-san – he's another ninja, working with us."

Kaiza grinned. "Nice to meet you. No, I'm a bit of a night-owl – I don't sleep much. I was out here teaching Inari," he ruffled his stepson's hair, "how to repair fishing line, and he fell asleep before the work was done, so…" He gestured to a pile of old cord next to himself.

Sakura nodded. "Kaiza-san, I have another favor to ask of you… I know we haven't even repaid the first, but -"

Kaiza held up his hand. "No need. You need me to take you all to Gatou's harbor, don't you?"

Sakura gave a soft exclamation of surprise, but Omoi nodded. "I see. You can't take us, of course – it's dangerous, and you have a family to feed. Also, you'll have to turn us in to Gatou, and we're probably going to get tortured. I'll prepare myself."

Both Sakura and Kaiza stared at the dark-skinned boy for several seconds, uncertain if he was joking. Omoi nonchalantly continued to suck his lollipop. Finally, Kaiza turned back to Sakura.

"… Actually, I'd be happy to take you – as I said, I'm happy to help anyone who'll strike a blow against Gatou. In fact, my father-in-law and I were discussing a plan earlier to build a bridge to the mainland – we've just finished collecting the funding, so construction should begin soon!"

Sakura smiled at the enthusiastic fisherman, and Omoi bowed. "We're very grateful, of course. Anyone willing to brave the possibility that Gatou will find out that you helped us, and thus will come after you and your family and -"

Sakura cut her Kumo partner off with a vicious elbow to the gut, and bowed to Kaiza. "Thank you so much, Kaiza-san! If there's ever anything we can do to help you or Wave Country, just let us know!"

Kaiza grinned and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Don't mention it – now, I'll put Inari to bed, and you bring your team to meet me in the lagoon where we arrived in… say an hour's time? That'll be a little before dawn, huh? Man, looks like I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight."

Sakura apologized, but the older man waved it off. "Don't worry about it – you know what they say – you can sleep all you want when you're dead."

* * *

After finding evidence that Gatou's pirate ships harbored at the ordinary fishing docks, at least on occasion, Sasuke and Karui had decided to head back to the shack, hoping to meet the other teams, and particularly Kakashi. The older ninja had, as usual, taken the laziest duty possible – waiting in the shack to relay information that each team gathered to the others as they returned.

"Seriously, though, do you do something with your hair to make it spike up so smoothly like that? You must spend more time on your hair than I do!" Karui's continued jibes had gotten successively most absurd as Sasuke had continued not responding – rather than fighting to avoid retorting, Sasuke instead found himself fighting to avoid chuckling. The Kumo kunoichi was clearly far less inventive than Naruto – and after suffering months of close contact with the blonde jinchuuriki, Karui couldn't faze him.

Sasuke's mirth turned to concern, though, as he saw lights near the shack, and he raised a hand. Karui fell silent instantly and crept forward. "What is it?"

"Lights." Karui seemed about to snort, but she saw the torchlights around the shack as well – and the figures with them.

"Mercenaries!" Karui whispered. "They must have tracked someone – or maybe someone in the village tipped them off?"

Sasuke wasn't certain. "Hmm… Either one – or the missing-nin may have been involved, if they have any tracking skill… Kakashi-sensei would definitely have seen them coming and gotten away – did you all leave anything in the shack?"

Karui snarled, "What did you think, that we took all of our gear with us? Of course there's stuff there – extra weapons, rations, clothes – all that stuff!"

Sasuke thought about mentioning Naruto's incredibly handy storage scrolls, but decided that taunting the enraged kunoichi wasn't the right course of action. "They'll probably have found all that then – and they'll know that there are shinobi here."

Karui hissed at this, and her hand drifted to the sword on her back. Sasuke smirked ironically – finally a chance for a fight.

"So, know how to use that fancy sword?"

The two ninja leapt from the tree, propelling themselves towards the mercenaries near the shack like silent ghosts – their blades cleared their sheathes in midair, and the moonlight glittered for a moment off the steel as it sliced keenly through the air. Sasuke's sword went straight through the shoulder and collarbone of his target, who had barely enough time to give a choked, strangled hiss of shock before a twist cut through most of his neck. A spray of arterial blood misted from his throat, but Sasuke was already on the move as the man's nearby partner shrieked.

"They're here! Nin -" Completing the word was beyond him then as Sasuke carefully slid his blow between his second and third ribs. The vicious, chakra-enhanced blow was almost too easy as it filled the man's chest cavity with blood, and Sasuke found himself disgusted at the acrid stench that filled the air – his vision swam and memories long-suppressed flashed before his eyes.

His father, slain upon his own sword. His mother, lying at the very threshold of their home. His brother's whirling eyes. Whirling red eyes. Whirling…

Sasuke blinked hard, but already it was too late – the other mercenaries were shouting and moving forward – Karui, finishing her own foe, spun towards them with several hand seals and a growled technique.

"**Raiton: Raigeki no Jutsu**!" From the very air around Karui, sparks flew and gathered before her. As she slashed a hand through the gathering lights, a stream of blue-white lightning flashed through the air, dancing upward, downward, and then into the midst of the mercenaries. With a thunderous explosion, they were catapulted back, the ones standing nearest the blast scorched and torn apart, the others moaning and picking themselves up.

"What the hell's wrong with you – move!" Karui's shout propelled Sasuke to action as he flickered through several seals of his own – there was no point in stealth anymore, as Karui's technique and the mercenaries' yells had almost certainly warned others that blood was in the offing.

"**Katon: Housenka no Jutsu**!" As Sasuke blew in short bursts, blossoming flares of fire coalesced into a series of flaming orbs that rocketed across the clearing, smashing into the mercenaries. Two of the four remaining mercenaries screamed out as the fire enveloped them, their very skin and clothing erupting, while a third managed barely to roll with the explosion, leaving him singed and bleeding but alive. The fourth wildly charged at Sasuke, who had taken a breath to clear the smoky taste from his lips.

Karui was upon the former, her blade already through his stomach, but the latter was too close – Sasuke clumsily moved back hoping he'd at least avoid the worst of the man's blow, when something small and white flashed through the air – a… lollipop stick?

The stick was embedded almost entirely through the final mercenary's eye as he fell, a few fragments of the red candy left on the exposed end. Sasuke turned to the direction where it had come from, where Omoi and Sakura emerged.

"So, I see things turned out real great – some fighting, the enemy alerted… hey, could have been worse, I guess." Omoi shrugged nonchalantly. Sasuke wanted to ask how, but closed his mouth again at Sakura's wild hand gestures. Instead he shook his head slightly.

"I take responsibility – I froze up, and we had to use… less than subtle techniques."

Karui snarled. "I'll say you froze up – what's the matter, that your first kill or something?! Now this whole mission's in the shit-hole – you'd better have an explanation for this!"

Sakura though, shook her head, stepping between the other three genin. "This isn't the time for that! Samui-san and Naruto are still somewhere out in the village, and they're in trouble! We need to go get them, and -"

"No time." The genin gave varied sighs and exclamations of surprise and relief at Kakashi's appearance as the jounin blurred into view. "The mercenaries are already alerted, and there are at least a hundred of them – possible to fight, but not without at least a couple casualties, and regardless, that's not our mission. Samui-san and Naruto will be safer getting out on their own – I'm certain they'll know to head for the harbor rather than back here."

Sakura and Sasuke were ready to argue, but the Kumo genin both nodded. Reluctantly, Sakura spoke. "I spoke to Kaiza-san, and he said he'd be willing to take us around the island to Gatou's harbor, so we could steal the _Airi_."

Karui snorted. "Well, why didn't you just say that? Let's go! Samui'll be fine."

Kakashi gave Karui and Omoi a level glance before nodding. "Very well. Let's make our way to the _Airi_ as quickly as possible, then – we have a mission to complete, and not long before the mercenaries and missing-nin are on our trail."

* * *

Naruto, in the meanwhile, had used his time in the office well, summoning a pair of shadow clones. The three copies of the blonde ninja had pored through documents, scanning titles and tables of contents, where applicable – until they hit the jackpot.

"Haha!" One of Naruto's clones exclaimed quietly. The other two crowded closer until the real Naruto dispersed his clones, grabbing the bound journal-like book out of midair. The book, simply put, was a set of basic instructions that Gatou and his chief mercenaries – a pair named "Waraji" and "Zori" apparently – had given their subordinates. The notes included the times for guard changes, certain passwords, a chakra-radio frequency, and – most importantly – tidbits of information about Gatou's best weapons.

Gatou had hired a small contingent of missing-nin, it turned out, from Water Country – some of the group hadn't arrived yet, but others were already present, and were at Gatou's private harbor, guarding the magnate himself. There were three missing-nin, Naruto read – and one particular tool they'd brought with them from Water Country was already in use aboard Gatou's pirate ships.

Naruto was shaken from his reading by a dull explosion outside that rattled the windows. Even as he shut the book and slid it back onto the shelf, he heard shouts. "Ninjas!" There are ninjas attacking on the west side of town! Radio the boss for help!"

Naruto cursed – he saw the chakra-radio across the room, and realized that the mercenaries would be coming his way. Thinking quickly, he unfastened the window, and just as the door opened, hurled himself out. The window clattered shut behind him, and he hoped desperately beyond hope that the mercenaries were too distracted by whatever his teammates had done to be paying too much attention.

"Did you find anything?"

Naruto nearly leapt out of his skin. "Holy shit! Yeah! What the -"

Samui had tidied her dress up again, but her hair was very slightly mussed. Naruto took a sharp breath. "You didn't -"

Samui frowned. "What, kill them? I'd thought you were more experienced than that…"

Naruto shook his head. "No! I mean, it's fine if you did that, but I mean…"

Samui tilted her head slightly before her lips fell open with understanding. "Ah. You're wondering if I… seduced them."

Naruto desperately wondered if this was an appropriate conversation to be having while standing outside the window of the enemy's barracks. "Uh… yes?"

Samui's eyes narrowed slightly. "Would it be so bad if I had?"

Naruto stared in confusion, and Samui sighed. "Naruto-san – seduction is part and parcel of a kunoichi's life. It is an important tool in a kunoichi's arsenal and a valid method of achieving goals, when necessary." Naruto's eyes widened slightly, and he suddenly realized how young they both were – just beginning their teenage years. Yet here they were, discussing death and seduction like the trained professionals they were – or at least that she was. Naruto felt that he had some growing to do.

Samui's lips twisted into the first real smile he'd seen on her face. "But… no. I didn't seduce them. That sort of thing isn't really my style. I put them in a genjutsu and left them sleeping in the alleyway."

Naruto let out a slight sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Perhaps Samui was right – perhaps seduction wasn't just a valid tool, but a necessity – yet, Naruto thought, he'd be happier going at least a few years before he had to deal with its ramifications personally. He chuckled. "Hehe… uh… sorry… I know I was… y'know… kind of being a kid…"

Samui's eyes had softened very slightly. "You're young. I understand."

'_I was once like that_,' Naruto heard the unspoken ending to her statement, and wondered if, in just a few years' time, he'd be like the girl – so jaded, so cold. He hoped not. "So… what now?"

Samui frowned as she looked out of the alleyway, where mercenaries could be seen running out, hither and tither. "They're alerted. We might be able to fight through them, but then, with only two of us, perhaps not. We need to find somewhere to hide and discuss what you found."

Naruto nodded and gestured at the other side of the alleyway. The two blondes hurried quickly out onto the street, across towards a small grouping of trees in the center of a thoroughfare, and across again into another alley. However, their luck ran out here as a pair of mercenaries came around the corner opposite, entering the alleyway.

"Here, you… what're you doing out so late?" One mercenary's dull eyes registered surprise at Naruto and Samui's presence, then a hint of lust. The other was more focused, His eyes narrowing – then widening somewhat in realization as he took in the two teenagers' lithely muscled frames.

Naruto didn't give them the chance to call out. He whipped a pair of kunai through the air even as he darted forward – his marksmanship was terrible, one knife missing entirely as the mercenary instinctively flinched away, the other landing in the slower mercenary's shoulder. The man opened his mouth to scream in pain, but Naruto was upon him, cramming his fist as hard as he could into the mercenary's throat. The man's eyes bugged out and his voice came out as only a hoarse whisper.

Naruto dimly saw Samui flash past the other mercenary, a short tanto now embedded in his chest. Whirling, he finished his own foe, grabbing his shoulders, spinning him around, and smashing him into unconsciousness against the nearby wall. Samui frowned at the two bodies. "Yours will wake soon – and in any case others will be by."

Naruto growled in reply, motioning her forward. "We'd better not be here then!"

The two ninja hurried across the alleyway and out towards the docks, ducking into another back alley, where they could crouch behind a toolshed. Samui, after glancing about to make sure they had privacy, turned to Naruto. "So?"

Naruto arranged his thoughts. "Ok… so… First, there're a lot of mercenaries. Like… a lot here, but Gatou has a bunch more on his pirate ships, two of them. Missing-nin too – he hired a bunch of them from Water Country."

"Probably members of a losing faction in the civil war they've been having…" Samui mused. "Go on."

"Right. He hired them fairly recently, but three of them have arrived so far – they're billeted in Gatou's private harbor, the place Omoi-san said the _Airi_ is kept. It didn't mention their levels or anything, but I guess I'd assume chuunin or low jounin."

Samui's lips tightened, and Naruto's mind, flowing through scenarios, could tell why. If their mission had gone from infiltration to a running battle, their teams were certain to go straight for the Airi – and in doing so, would be walking straight into the missing-nin. Naruto had full faith in Kakashi to win any potential fight, but with four genin around, someone was bound to get hurt.

Naruto cleared his throat. "That's not all."

Samui frowned. "What?"

"I found out how Gatou's two pirate ships have been keeping things under control here. Do you know anything about Water Country's galleys?"

Samui shook her head, and Naruto found himself unsurprised. He only knew due to coming upon the topic in his reading about the Water Country Civil War. One of the Hidden Mist's great advantages on the open seas was its galleys – seal-powered boats which travelled regardless of wind and current. The vessels were quick, stealthy, and dangerous – and offered an excellent platform from which Mist shinobi could stop any adversaries with thoughts of invading their homeland. – or from which they could terrorize enemy shipping.

The most effective weapon at their disposal, though, were their water cannons – seal-powered apparatuses that amounted to metal tubes bent at a right angle. One end of the tube was lowered into the water, and when activated, the other end would channel a pressurized burst of water – pressurized enough to cave in the hulls of other ships, break bones, and allow even a barely-trained genin to wreak havoc in the Mist's chosen environment.

The seal work, Naruto had realized, was actually fairly basic – he could probably replicate it himself, if given the materials and some time. Regardless, the water cannons were an extremely effective weapon – a weapon Gatou's missing-nin had brought with them.

Naruto relayed his discovery to Samui, and the girl's eyebrows furrowed. "How many of these… water cannons, do you think they have? And where?"

Naruto shrugged. "Probably not more than three or four – but even that many would be enough to sink the _Airi_ in a couple shots. The water's chakra-laden, so even trying to cushion it with our own chakra wouldn't do much good, and as far as I know, none of us are water-type ninja. Sakura-chan is an earth type, so… maybe that? They're probably aboard a ship, but one could be at Gatou's harbor."

Samui flinched. "And if our teammates alert the enemy missing-nin by making a frontal assault on the _Airi_…"

Naruto didn't bother finishing the statement, instead gesturing in the direction Omoi had mentioned Gatou's private harbor lay. Without another word, the two ninja hurried off.

* * *

The other shinobi had faced no trouble on their flight to the lagoon where Kaiza made port. Perhaps the mercenaries were too busy searching for them in the town, perhaps they were frightened by the unconscious and slain bodies Karui and Sasuke had left behind them, or perhaps they were withdrawing to Gatou's harbor, planning to make a united stand – in any case, Kakashi and the four genin with him made it aboard Kaiza's ship with time to spare. Giving the ninja a surprised look (particularly Karui, who he hadn't met before); Kaiza untethered the boat and unfurled his sail, setting out into the open water.

As they set off, Kakashi summarized their information. "So, we know that Gatou has a pair of paramilitary pirate vessels which aren't at port, and an unknown number of missing-nin of unknown quality. We also know that they know of our presence – and that the _Airi_ is in Gatou's private harbor – his base of operations."

The boat was silent with Kakashi's pronouncement for several seconds before Omoi awkwardly coughed. "Does anyone get the feeling that this is just the worst?"

The others didn't respond for a moment as they reflected. Shinobi weren't exclusively warriors of stealth and cunning – when the chips were down, sometimes a frontal assault was necessary – the annals of history were littered with the bloody tales of open battles, particularly during the Shinobi World Wars. However, those battles were bloody for a reason – in the open; most of a shinobi's greatest advantage was already gone.

A ninja in the shadows was death incarnate. A ninja in the open was merely a warrior, albeit a dangerous one.

Sakura sighed. "There's not too much we can do – Wave Country is too small to hide anywhere, and we don't have enough knowledge of the timeline to know if we could retreat and try again.

At least we're approaching from the water rather than the land – they'll have fewer defenses this way."

Karui, staring out moodily at the open water, snorted. "Don't suppose there's any way we can get this mission upgraded so we can get paid something worth this mess?"

Sakura shook her head. "Probably not. We had an upgraded mission a while ago – it usually requires some kind of blatant showing that something is beyond the limits for whatever sort of mission it originally was, and that the client knew or knows about it. Shiranaya-san's mission is pretty vague to begin with… and he definitely didn't know anything about all of this."

The others were quiet, only the sounds of Omoi's lollipop-sucking and Sasuke's sword against a whetstone breaking the calm, with an occasional rustling of paper as Kakashi turned a page. Kaiza sat at the tiller, and the boat swiftly sailed around the edge of the island. Along the waterfront, the ninjas could see other late-night fishermen – men who for one reason or another (usually through bribery) had managed to convince Gatou's mercenaries to allow them some liberty. On the docks, lights were lit and here and there torches moves, showing that the mercenaries still searched.

Kaiza spoke quietly. "You know, I've got to say… I really am thankful. I've been trying to gather resources to fight Gatou; standing up to him in little ways… but this is the first real time I've been able to strike out against him."

Karui frowned. "We're not doing it for you – and I mean that in the politest way, but really… this is about our mission."

Kaiza nodded, still smiling slightly. "I understand that – but regardless of why you're doing it, what you're doing has given me a chance to challenge Gatou – maybe, if we can get your ship free, maybe I can show the people of Wave Country that Gatou can be defeated – that this is a battle worth fighting."

Sakura smiled, while Karui just shrugged. The other men on the boat all remained silent, and the boat gently swayed as it continued around the headland, into the bay on the northeast side of the island where Gatou's harbor lay. Slowly around the lightly forested spit of land the boat curved its path, revealing ahead of them the blazingly lit structures of Gatou's harbor. A low mist had settled over the bay, thicker out to sea, but the lights were clearly visible, as were the masts of the _Airi_.

Omoi groaned. "Dammit. They're all waiting for us. Bet we'll have to storm the docks like Lightning Country marines – and we'll get shot full of arrows and spitting on a pike before we're halfway up, and we'll fail the mission, and Bee-sensei will be SO pissed…"

Kakashi's eye flickered in surprise before settling on Omoi casually. "So, Killer Bee is your sensei? I did think it was interesting that you didn't have a senior shinobi with you."

Karui gave a short laugh. "Yeah, Bee-sensei's not allowed away from Kumo except for really short trips around Lightning Country – this mission was pretty far off his leash, and Samui got promoted during the last Chuunin Exam – so, you know…"

Sasuke eyed the red-head with interest as he sheathed his sword. "You've been through the Chuunin Exams, then? What are they like?"

Sakura chimed in, "The next ones are in Konoha – will you be attending?"

Karui shrugged, but Omoi pulled the candy from his mouth. "They're pretty brutal – depends on where they are, I guess. Weird psychological tests, survival stuff, and a whole lot of combat – and winning doesn't always mean you pass. We probably won't be coming to the Konoha tests, but some other Kumo teams may."

Sasuke nodded in understanding and digested the information – but looked up at a strange whistling noise. "What -"

The sound was enormous as the blurry dark shape smashed into the water just to the little boat's right. A huge wave washed over them, drenching everyone on the ship – Sasuke and Kakashi were the first on their feet – but there was nothing in the water – nothing but water.

Karui, slowly raising herself, spoke with a quavering voice. "What the hell –"

But another whistling noise interrupted her. Kaiza acted quickly this time, detaching his mast and letting it fall flat – the only thing that save the ship from being capsized when another dark blur flew through the air directly overhead, splashing into the bay behind them.

"It's water!" Omoi called, lying flat. "They're shooting water at us!"

Kakashi grunted, narrowing his eye – he knew exactly what was happening – and didn't like it one bit. "Kaiza-san, how close are we to the nearest dock?"

Kaiza bit his lip and narrowed his eyes. "Probably about forty feet of open water – but if they're this accurate in the mist -"

"Their mist." Kakashi interrupted.

"Then you'll be sitting ducks!" Kaiza finished.

Sasuke snorted. "We're ninja, Kaiza-san. We'll be fine - forty feet is child's play." He dearly wished that he felt the same confidence he spoke with – and more so wished that Naruto was here. He was fine as he was, his mind quickly added – but without his teammate, things just felt a little harsher.

Kaiza nodded, slightly reassured, and Kakashi leapt from the boat, his feet skidding on the water for a moment as he began running. The genin all followed him, one after the other sliding across the bay. As they vanished into the mist, Kaiza watched after them for a moment longer, feeling his heart beating wildly against his chest. He withdrew his oars from storage and listened carefully for the whistling noise – but heard nothing.

Nothing but the clashing of steel and shouts of dying men.

* * *

One reason Kakashi and the four genin had made their way so easily around the island's perimeter was due to the difficulties Naruto and Samui encountered in their own trip there. Difficulties that almost entirely consisted of well-placed, entrenched mercenaries.

"Enemy down – two more forward!" Naruto cried breathlessly as he hurled himself behind a wall to avoid three arrows that flew through the air towards him. Samui nodded.

"I see them." Samui's hands flickered through several seals before the girl leaned around the former.

"**Raiton: Raigeki no Jutsu!**" A powerful, booming thunderbolt blasted from the air before Samui, shattering the upturned cart the two mercenaries were hiding behind and hurling them back, dazed. Naruto rushed forward to finish them, but another arrow from a third mercenary, sheltered even further back, tore through his vest and shirt, embedding itself in his shoulder. He growled and snapped the shaft – it was the third shot that had reached his mark, and despite his healing ability, the wounds were both painful and awkward.

As he reached the two recovering mercenaries, he slammed an elbow into one's head, knocking him back down, while the other drew a sword and swung at Naruto's head. Naruto, in no mood to play games, simply slid to the side and landed a vicious blow to the man's sternum, crumpling him. A kick hurled him through the burning wreckage of the cart behind him, leaving Naruto to hurl himself to the ground, under another arrow.

Samui had taken Naruto's charge as an opportunity to advance, though, and ran along the side of a wall to drop behind the archer, stabbing him through the lung. Naruto sighed as he approached her, picking idly at the red stains on his vest.

"There goes another pack… We're almost there, right?"

Samui looked out along the bay, seeing a fog coating it. They had worked their way along the edge of the water, encountering resistance from mercenaries all the way – but indeed, they were less than half a mile from Gatou's harbor, she could tell. "Yes. Those are the _Airi_'s masts – we just need to make it a little further."

Naruto growled. "Good. I'm tired of these assholes." He stalked forward, ignoring Samui's slightly bewildered gaze. He knew that his ability to remain essentially unhampered by the relatively serious wounds he'd suffered was surprising to the kunoichi, but he wasn't in the mood to be playing at false weakness. The two weren't certain if their teams had beaten them to Gatou's harbor – but fighting alongside a kunoichi whose trustworthiness was debatable at best was itching at Naruto's mind something fierce.

Naruto jerked to a halt, though; as Samui's slender hand grasped his shoulder. "Naruto-san, wait."

"What?"

Samui pointed out into the water, and Naruto frowned. A dark shape was slowly materializing out of the mists. "Is that…?"

Samui gasped. "Gatou's pirate ships! Not cool…"

As much as Naruto was beginning to get irritated at her overuse of the word 'cool,' he had to admit that she had a point. The pirate ships, probably contacted by radio from the harbor, were sailing to block the bay. Even if Kakashi and the others were able to gain control of the _Airi_, they would be hemmed in and boarded by the mercenaries and missing-nin. Specializing in water and armed with cannons capable of destroying the _Airi_ in a few shots, the missing-nin would have a grave advantage.

Naruto looked back at the harbor longingly – he had wanted badly to meet with his team again – it was strange how even a few hours' time was beginning to wear on him – or perhaps it was the combat without hearing Sasuke's sword singing or Sakura's fists crunching. Nonetheless, he had a duty to them. He turned gruffly to Samui. "C'mon. We've got to get to those ships – if we can disable them, or at least their cannons, the others can get a hold of the _Airi_ and get it out of the harbor!"

Samui, whose face had fallen into a blank trance as she'd considered her options, nodded. "I… yes. But how?" Naruto looked back at the water – it was a fairly long distance to the pirate ships, and an ordinary ninja would hesitate at the significant chakra expenditure. Naruto himself wasn't comfortable with his ability to stay on the surface so long – and swimming would be far too slow.

Samui, however, provided the answer. "Look."

Naruto looked in the direction she was pointing, and saw a small boat quickly rowing to shore from the direction of the harbor – with a very familiar form in it. He rushed down to the water's edge. "Kaiza-san!"

Kaiza looked back towards him, face strained and brow furrowed, but he managed a smile anyways. "Naruto-san! I've just left your teammates to attack the harbor – there were strange… blasts of water flying through the air, so they told me to go to shore!"

Naruto shook his head. "Yes, we know about those! But we have another problem…" Kaiza looked, and blanched at the sight of the pirate ships.

"Damn… if they block the harbor…"

Naruto nodded. "Right! We need to get out there and stop them, right away – they have more of those water cannons – and probably a couple of Gatou's missing-nin too! I can disable the cannons!"

Samui and Kaiza both looked at him with a strange look in their eyes. "You can?"

Naruto nodded, though he didn't feel at all sure – he THOUGHT he could figure out a solution – a counter-seal, perhaps, that would disable the cannon. If all else failed, he supposed, he could simple try and blow them to smithereens with copious amounts of explosive tags.

Kaiza's face, fixed in a determined smile, lit. "Well, no time to wait, then! Hop aboard!"

Naruto smiled gratefully and boarded the small dinghy. As Samui stepped aboard, she frowned. "Kaiza-san… I hope you understand that by doing this, you are identifying yourself quite clearly as an enemy of Gatou… you may get in deep trouble for aiding us."

Kaiza, as he began rowing, smiled at her. "I understand – and in fact, I welcome it. After all, it's about time someone did something to challenge that bastard!"

Naruto grinned as he looked out towards the pirate ship. As it turned out, he thought, Gatou's weren't the only pirates in these waters tonight!

* * *

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu**!" Sasuke spewed another burst of flames from his mouth, now not even bothering to raise a hand to hips lips – the precision just wasn't necessary at the range his foe was at. The unlucky mercenary, who had managed to force Sasuke back through sheer bulk and hefty armor, screamed as the flames melted into his face and throat.

Leaving his dying foe behind. Sasuke slid forward and leapt over a crate. The thick mists made it difficult to ascertain friend and foe. He'd ended up fighting alongside Omoi, but almost as often had nearly skewered the Kumo-nin.

"Sasuke; report." He spun, but was able to hold back his attack as he sensed Kakashi's familiar chakra.

"Situation stable – Omoi and I… I think Omoi's around here somewhere. We've managed to push past the warehouses. The _Airi_ is three docks down, but the mercenaries are thick around here." Sasuke winced as he touched a hand to his ribs, where a lucky mercenary arrow had penetrated. He didn't know how deep it had gone, but breathing was becoming more difficult.

Kakashi nodded. He was unharmed, but his hair was ruffled somewhat, and blood splatters that certainly weren't his own had splashed across his uniform. "Press forward. Sakura's healed up Karui, so I'll send her forward to join you – Sakura and I will move up to this location."

Sasuke nodded absently as his commander vanished into the mist again – the heat of battle was pounding in his veins, yet he could still feel the chakra exhaustion beginning to overtake him. The arrow was the worst of his wounds, but he had several other nicks. And WHERE, he wondered, was Omoi?

"Urgh… hey… Sasuke-san…"

Sasuke turned, and was shocked to find Omoi crawling from around a corner. He was mostly uninjured, but for a leg that looked quite badly mangled. "Omoi-san! What happened to your leg?"

Omoi shrugged. "One of the mercs had a spiky club-mace-thing. He got lucky. Bright side, the interior is clear." He staggered, but Sasuke caught him.

"Omoi!" Karui came running from the mist, followed by Sakura and Kakashi. The red-head took hold of her teammate's shoulders. "Speak to me!"

"Wow… Karui's asking me to speak to her. I must be dead… and in Heaven. Ok, or maybe not… maybe I'm in hell?"

With a grunt, Karui flushed red with either embarrassment or annoyance, dropping Omoi against the crate behind him. Sakura stepped forward, her hands lighting with green chakra. She was uninjured, but Sasuke could see the weariness in her eyes and the flickering in the usually vibrant light of her technique.

"He's… The bones are actually mostly all right – I can heal him up, but he's still not going to be too much help – too much blood loss, and I used my last soldier pill to replenish my own chakra." Sakura diagnosed, getting to work.

Sasuke, though, frowned… he heard a familiar noise, and had barely enough time to leap on top of Sakura and Omoi, the latter of whom screamed out in pain. A very wet explosion rent the air as shards of the crate exploded in every direction, the water pressure behind the blast hurling Karui and Kakashi away.

Kakashi had managed to replace himself just as the blast hit, and was only very wet. Flashing through several hand seals, he called out, "**Fuuton: Daitoppa no Jutsu**."

The wind blew the mists before the ninja, and though it rapidly began to reform, the clearing allowed them to see their attacker.

Standing atop a crate was a tall man with a grey, robe-like garment and pale skin. He had short, dark hair and greenish eyes, and had a vicious smirk on his lips. Around his forehead was a slashed forehead protector, the proud symbol of a missing-nin – a forehead protector bearing the mark of the Hidden Mist village.

Stranger than the missing-nin, though, was the bent tube he stood next to – nearly three feet in diameter and made of metal encircled with etchings which the ninja could immediately recognize as seals. The bottom of the eight-foot tube was inserted into the water – and the top, bent at a right angle, pointed directly at the crate which had just exploded.

The missing-nin laughed as the wispy mist floated around them all. "So, at last I meet my targets – the shinobi that have been causing my… employer… so much trouble! How interesting… The great Hatake Kakashi himself, and a host of brats!"

Sasuke tensed, lifting himself off Sakura and a moaning Omoi. As the young medic-nin busied herself pulling Omoi out of the line of fire, Sasuke glanced at Karui. The girl was unconscious, her head bleeding, as it had struck against a nearby docking post. She would need medical aid as well, though he couldn't tell how bad the injury was. Kakashi, on the other hand, tilted his head slightly at their foe.

"Hmm… Sorry, I have no idea who you are!" He grinned facetiously, and Sasuke was mildly gratified to see the irritation on the water-nin's face. He began inching towards Karui's still form, hoping Kakashi would provide enough of a distraction to keep the missing-nin from attacking the injured genin.

"You'd better be joking – or maybe you're just not all you're said to be… after all, you got caught in my water cannon blast! Maybe I'd be more worried if we weren't in my chosen environment – and if I didn't have my girl here with me!" The missing-nin patted the cannon as if it were a pet or friend, rather than a cold piece of metal. Despite the strange situation, Sasuke's blood ran cold – another blast from that weapon, aimed either where Sasuke and Karui or Sakura and Omoi were situated, could kill them.

More yet, Sasuke saw from the corner of his eye, more masts were emerging from the mists – Gatou's pirate ships. If they blocked the harbor, they would be able to stop the shinobi from escaping with the _Airi_. Before that could happen, the shinobi would have to defeat the missing-nin, board the _Airi_, and exit the harbor – and they still hadn't found Naruto or Samui. As Kakashi strode forward to face the last challenge that stood before them, Sasuke felt faint and looked down to see his side bleeding – the arrow had pushed deeper thanks to his jerky movements.

Time was running out.

* * *

As the faint noises of battle echoed from the harbor, Samui and Naruto nodded their farewell to Kaiza, who began rowing away. Using their chakra, the two blonde ninja grasped the side of the foremost pirate ship, pulling themselves up the side. Samui gave Naruto a clear questioning look, and Naruto wondered how, even when paired with a chuunin, he could end up coming up with the plans.

"Okay, I think this should be pretty simple. They're not expecting us up there – the cannon has to be low enough that its end can be in the water, and this ship's about… twelve feet up. That means it's got to be on the lower deck. We'll pull ourselves up, hoo-rah the ship, jump below-deck, and destroy the cannon, assuming there is one! Then, we scupper their rudder, lean the tiller off towards the open water, and head over to the other ship!"

Samui stared at him uncomprehendingly for several seconds before shaking her head. "I… didn't understand what half of those words meant. I'm going to assume you know what you're doing – but what if there's a missing-nin aboard?"

Naruto's mouth flattened into a grim line. "In that case, we double-team him. Actually, no, we just jump on him and gangbang him until he can't move or until he dies or whatever, and throw him overboard. Simple as that."

Samui quirked an eyebrow. "Uncool choice of words… but everything about this mission has been uncool. Let's go."

The two clambered up to the side, and carefully peeked over. Several men, either mercenaries or sailors or both, ran about the surface of the ship, preparing themselves. Along with the cannon, they were armed with plenty of ordinary weaponry, especially bows and arrows, and Naruto's shoulder, where the arrowhead from his earlier wound had popped out, itched. Without waiting any further, Naruto tossed Samui a savage grin before leaping out onto the deck.

"Yee-har, me hearties, we're a-pillagin' this ship! **Kage Kunai no Jutsu**! **Fuuton: Daitoppa no Jutsu**!"

Even Naruto was shocked and slightly sickened by the incredible effectiveness of what followed. Having thrown a single kunai and multiplied it into a few dozen, Naruto had followed up with a powerful gust of wind. The wind had caught the kunai from behind, flinging them haphazardly forward with incredible force – directly into the mass of mercenaries and sailors who stood before him. Blood flung from the crowd as the metal slashed into them, razor-sharp and tumbling through the air, and the bodies were flung back by the wind, clearing an open space for Samui to vault onto the deck.

Samui, immediately noticing Naruto's stunned posture, flashed through several seals. "**Raiton: Raikyuu no Jutsu**!" Around the kunai in her hand, a ball of electricity flashed into view. In the moment before the kunai melted into a shapeless blob and injured her hand, Samui hurled it towards the stunned pirates. In their midst, it exploded, shrapnel and electric sparks flinging in every direction. The screams echoed, and seemed to snap Naruto back into action.

Naruto felt a sort of filter overtake him as he propelled himself forward, into the pirates' midst, hacking and slashing with a kunai while kicking, punching, and head-butting. Pirates and pirate bodies fell from the sides of the ship, and the moment he'd cleared a space, he cried out the familiar name of his favored technique. "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**!"

The remaining pirates moaned as even more blonde ninjas appeared. As they set about their bloody work, Naruto turned back to where Samui had dealt with the few pirates remaining near the stern of the ship. A door burst open and a woman strode forward with a scowl on her face. Her windstruck, sharp-edged visage and too-long nose made her look like she was made of blades, and her grey eyes and hair didn't help the image. Around her waist sat a slashed forehead protector, marked with the symbol of Kirigakure.

"Dammit! Can't you bums do anything right?!" Naruto didn't bother giving the woman time to say or do anything further. He went straight for her, kunai out, his feet carrying him at a nearly-blurring speed.

The missing-nin barely had time to look surprised before dodging to the side. She moved for the sword at her side, but instead had to duck under a second Naruto's blow, which cut through several strands of her hair. She cried out in surprise, "What the hell?! Who are you?!"

Naruto just smirked. "Konoha's most surprising DODGE THIS!"

As the woman relaxed just a tad bit, He jerked forward with a technique he hadn't finished learning – but which was still eminently suitable at the range they were fighting at. "**Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba!**" The few hand seals gave the missing-nin enough time to avoid being immediately disemboweled, but she still took a terrible gash across the side from the nearly-invisible blade. Naruto barely had the control to keep it active for a second, but that was more than enough for a surprise attack.

As the missing-nin clenched her teeth, Naruto hopped back, hoping that she'd follow. Instead, she tried to back away – but as with Naruto's last one-on-one battle with a missing-nin, something else intervened.

After all, Naruto wasn't fighting one-on-one.

Samui dispassionately cleaned her tanto off, allowing the missing-nin to drop. "I don't know this one, but that's probably because there are far too many missing-nin coming out of Kirigakure these days due to the war. Probably a C-rank at best."

Naruto pouted slightly, doing his best to ignore the sensations and memories of his clones rushing back to him after hurling the remaining pirates' corpses from the deck. "Man, I never get to fight missing-nin alone. Last time, Kakashi-sensei jumped the guy, too."

Samui shrugged. "Didn't you have a cannon to deal with?"

* * *

Sakura ordinarily didn't consider herself a particularly religious individual, but this mission was beginning to call that into doubt – she'd wished for the intervention of the spirits or gods at least a dozen times – and their answers had been fairly schizophrenic.

At the moment, her only wish was that her various patients not die thanks to her limited chakra reserves – Omoi's leg hadn't been broken badly, but there was a great deal of blood loss, and her healing had only managed to stabilize the wound. Sasuke was unconscious with an arrow somewhere in his ribs, and possibly even in his lung. Karui had a cracked skull and clear concussion – and who knew how bad that might be.

Sakura herself was unharmed – but only because she'd been busy behind the lines, running from one injured comrade to another, trying to keep them conscious, alive, anything. And now, at the climax of her team's mission, here they all were, laying before her.

Sakura quickly charted their care in her head – Omoi would live – her earlier healing had closed the worst of the injuries, and his was a leg injury. Karui would have to come first, despite her immediate, wild urge to rush to Sasuke's side. Until she knew how bad the head wound was, Karui should be considered in critical condition. And if it had taken this long for Sasuke to collapse, he'd probably be fine for a half-minute longer.

Probably. Sakura hurried.

A fleeting glance told her all she needed to know about Kakashi's fight against the missing-nin – the missing-nin had vastly overestimated his own capabilities and, to his grave detriment, had underestimated the power of the legendary Sharingan no Kakashi. The missing-nin had first, quickly, been coaxed away from his metal tube, and then had been stabbed, cut, pounded, and fried until he was barely standing – a status that Kakashi seemed about ready to end.

Sakura turned back to Karui and performed a quick diagnosis. "**Shindan no Jutsu**!"

The technique allowed her a sigh of relief – Karui's was a simple concussion – her skull was intact, and the bleeding was just that of a head wound. The concussion didn't seem particularly severe – and so it was on to Sasuke. She repeated her technique, immediately discovering that her initial concern had been correct – Sasuke had managed to jolt the arrow through his ribcage and into his left lung. She activated a chakra scalpel and sliced the wound slightly wider; allowing her to withdraw the shaft, then threaded a chakra string into the wound, wrapping it about the arrowhead. Turning it around, she excised it as well, allowing herself a sigh of relief once the delicate operation was complete.

She was exhausted, and could only manage a simple swipe of healing chakra to fix the worst of the damage before the technique sputtered out. Though spots ran before her eyes, the job was done, and all three of her patients would live to fight another day.

* * *

Kakashi stared down at the corpse of the pathetic missing-nin – perhaps, if he were generous, a high-C rank ninja – before him. In the end, without the advantage of surprise, he'd turned out to be little more than a waste of time.

Time, Kakashi reminded himself, which he didn't have. He turned around to look to his students and allies – only to find all four unconscious. Now when had that happened? Kakashi approached them, and saw that Karui and Sasuke seemed stable, and Sakura was just unconscious from exhaustion. Sighing, he measured his own chakra reserves.

"**Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!**" Four copies of himself, formed of water, appeared and lifted the genin. Following him, they all strode onto the deck of the _Airi_ – he spared a glance at the strange metal tube, but shrugged. There were more important things to do – particularly, getting his team to safety.

Kakashi checked below deck, and immediately located the shivering crew of the _Airi_ there – twelve men who, having been awoken by the sounds of battle outside, had huddled together, not knowing if they were to be killed.

"Which of you is the Captain?" Kakashi asked flatly. One, the oldest man, looked up.

Kakashi smiled.

* * *

Naruto stood below the deck of the ship, staring at the water cannon. It was a complex tool, to be sure, seals winding their way all around it. He carefully deciphered one seal array, and then another, all the while musing how he might have done it instead.

"So, can we get rid of it?" Samui's voice impatiently rang out behind him. After clearing the deck, they'd rushed downstairs, only to face the puzzle of what to do with the water cannon. Naruto gave her an irritated look.

"I'm trying, okay? What do you want me to do, blow us both up?" Samui shook her head, tense with worry for her subordinates.

"There's another pirate ship soon behind – they'll have a cannon too. And the _Airi_ has begun to move."

Naruto swiftly spun to face her. The mists outside were rapidly clearing and dawn was just beginning to broach over the horizon, flashing a slightly pinkish glow through the portholes. Samui didn't look pleased with this news, despite its supposedly meaning that their mission was almost a success.

"You're not pleased?"

Samui shook her head. "The mists are clearing, and the other pirate ship is barely half a mile behind this one – they'll see the _Airi_ leaving, and fire on it – or just catch up to it. We'll have a hard time winning a fight if their missing-nin is even as good as the one we just beat – I'm empty, and there's no telling what shape our teammates are in."

Naruto saw visions of his teammates – injured, or even dead – flash before his eyes, and furiously turned back to the cannon. Then he paused. "Wait."

Samui cocked her had slightly, pale blonde hair falling on one shoulder. Naruto's face twisted into a smirk. "Can you turn this ship sideways?"

Samui stared at him, then out the window. Her eyes lit for a moment with realization. "But… can you fire that thing?"

Naruto rubbed his hands together. "I can try."

As Samui ran up onto the deck, Naruto turned back to the cannon, scanning the seals for an activation mark. None seemed to be present, and he felt the deck pitch slightly as Samui turned the wheel, slowly shifting the ship so its side faced out to sea. Naruto slowly saw the other pirate vessel, rapidly approaching, appear outside the portholes. He could see the metal barrel of the other ship's cannon glinting in the dawn's light, and with a whistling noise, a blast of water arced over Naruto's ship, splashing into the water – a range-finding shot. The next one wouldn't miss.

Time was up.

He grabbed a hold of the cannon, hoping furiously.

"_Every seal has an activation sequence – just a mark, or more. Just a mark… Just a mark… or…_" Naruto crudely bit his thumb, blood spilling from the welt. Slamming the digit against the tube, he pushed it in a clockwise motion, then around wider, and wider, releasing it. There lay a spiral symbol – the same symbol he'd seen on Jiraiya's strange placard, and on the back of every Konoha uniform.

"_Uzumaki_."

Naruto channeled his chakra into the seal, crying out a wordless call in the absence of an actual phrase – and he felt a strange feeling rush through him – a feeling like torrents of water gushing forth from a hose, blasting out of his hand into the seal – and he heard a roaring noise.

From the tube issued forth a huge, terrible blast of water as wide as the tube itself, a blast so powerful the ship itself shuddered and tilted to the side – but Naruto didn't care. The exhilaration filled him as he pushed the blast forward – and into the other pirate ship. With a loud crash, the blast impacted the other ship, tearing through its hull and pushing out the other side. Naruto cackled as he released the blast – and watched the remainder of his attack shred through the pirate ship like a knife, tearing it nearly in half.

As he trudged above-deck, suddenly exhausted, Samui stared at him with a wide-eyed wonder. Naruto grinned. "What… who… who are you?"

Naruto grinned and, flagrantly copying his own teacher flashed a thumbs-up. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

Samui, despite herself, couldn't help but smile. "Cool."

* * *

**Technique Library**: Raiton: Raigeki no Jutsu (Thunderbolt Technique): A B-ranked Lightning ninjutsu, this technique gathers nearby static electricity around a core of the user's own lightning-elemental chakra, then fires it forward to crash against the target, where it explodes with a furious blast of scorching electricity and reverberations.

Katon: Housenka no Jutsu (Phoenix Sage Fire Technique): A C-ranked Fire ninjutsu, this technique fires from the user's mouth several orbs of fire which may be controlled using chakra or allowed to fly freely. The orbs tend to fly freely and in an unpredictable manner, making them difficult to avoid.

Raiton: Raikyuu no Jutsu (Lightning Orb Technique): A B-ranked Lightning ninjutsu which gathers an immense amount of lightning-element chakra into an object, usually a metal one. The object must be flung quickly, or will melt in the user's hand, releasing the charge – but when released, the object explodes on impact like a grenade, releasing electrical currents, molten slag, and hot plasma in every direction.

Fuuton: Kaze no Yaiba no Jutsu (Wind Blade Technique): An A-ranked Wind ninjutsu which requires a great amount of finesse to be used properly. It focuses Wind chakra into a tight, thin blade of pure wind chakra. The blade is nearly invisible and is incredibly difficult to avoid – being in near proximity to the blade (when not the originator) is enough to cause minor cuts. The blade requires great control to manifest for longer than a few attacks.

Shindan no Jutsu (Diagnosis Technique): A C-ranked medical ninjutsu which rapidly diagnoses basic injuries by allowing a trained medic-nin to see the condition of their patient's body in the mind, particularly highlighting any irregularities or injuries. Since this technique offers information in a form which requires interpretation by someone with medical training, it is functionally useless to non-medic-nin.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hello again, readers!

I'm sorry for the (for me) long time to update – real life has picked up a bit, so I'm doing what I can – while that's good news for me in reality, it does hamper the time I normally would spend throwing large numbers of words at you in rapid succession.

As promised, an action-heavy chapter at last! As you can tell, we're a couple chapters away from the actual Wave arc, but naturally this previous visit will put a very different spin on things for our heroes. I know people tend not to like the Wave arc, but it's always had a special place in my heart, so I couldn't bear to excise it – but I'm hoping to do it in a way nobody's really tried before (to my knowledge).

Additionally, re-readers may note that I've removed some of the individual editing notes, since they're sort of artificially inflating the word-count. Instead, I'll just leave editing notes for important situations. I'm also planning to do a partial re-write of the first chapter (and possibly the second), so if anyone has any suggestions on ways to improve those chapters, please let me know!

A few responses to selected reviews:

_theIrishWriter_: Aha, Naruto's ignorance, as usual, is a plot point. Yes, he'll be figuring out more about that – he had very little interaction with the people of Wave during this mission – but his next visit won't be quite so disconnected… There were a lot of comments about Killer/Killa Bee/B not being present. I was quite sad myself not to include him, but we've had mention of his not being allowed to wander around before – and really, I figured I'd wait for a better time to bring him in – a time where he'd be properly appreciated, and where I'd have time to write bad rap lyrics.

_PillPushr_: As usual, thanks for pointing out spelling/grammar errors. It really does help!

_Sagemodeman_: I think I might have said this earlier, but I certainly hold to that theory – and it will feature prominently in my version of the Wave Arc.

_QE1_: To be honest, I've always supposed that village shinobi just straight-up dislike missing-nin as a concept, since it implies a lack of the loyalty and restraint that makes shinobi something other than super-powered killers. Also, Kakashi probably didn't think Hayashi would be dumb enough to speak up that many times…

_Guest_: Unfortunate that I can't refer to you by name, but it's OK – yeah, the seals in the walls might seem a bit farfetched – it's part of my concerted attempt to make seals more integrated in the Naruto world rather than a deus ex machina that only shows up in really isolated instances. I had him use 'tis,' essentially, because he's old.

_ . _: Thanks for the in-depth review, first of all! I wish I had more to say, but really, I'm just glad there are people picking the story up as it goes, who aren't put off by it being several chapters in already. You theoretically shouldn't be reading fanfiction at work, but I guess I do the same in class, so I can't really talk…

_Gd8909_: I know, I know – the Wave Arc is about the most overdone thing in the world – but then, it's sort of like saying the bell test is the most overdone thing – it's one of those "canon signposts" that every fic hits to show how it's changed from canon, which over time leads to a pretty painful, repetitive feeling. Personally, I thought about skipping it, but eventually decided that I believed in myself enough to try to do it in a different way. You won't see it for a couple more chapters, and I hope you're willing to reserve your judgment until then!

Thank you all for your support; please continue to read and review!

- The Captain


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